METTLESOME Synonyms: 123 Similar and Opposite Words

mettlesome

adjective

ˈme-tᵊl-səm

Definition of mettlesome

as in energetic

having much high-spirited energy and movement the mettlesome opening dance number got the audience all jazzed up

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in fiery

marked by a lively display of strong feeling a mettlesome debate on the teaching of evolution in the schools

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of mettlesome He may have been provoked into battle by the ruler of Cebu, who was using Magellan’s troops to rid himself of a mettlesome chieftain known to raid the trade ships that navigated the waters in and around the islands. — Tim Carman, Washington Post, 14 Nov. 2022

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mettlesome

Adjective

Even small toe-taps or a light head bob accompanies the least energetic.

— Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 12 July 2026
Adrian, creative and energetic from childhood on—and raised in the presence of movie cameras—became a filmmaker himself, fusing a passion for extreme skiing with his cinematic sensibility.

— Marina Harss, New Yorker, 10 July 2026

Definition of energetic

Adjective

The animated film, made with a budget between $150 million and $200 million, has earned upward of $763 million globally less than a month after its release.

— Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
The Rick and Morty world is one of the most involved animated series ever created and obviously takes up a lot of brain power to pull together.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 6 July 2026

Definition of animated

Adjective

But as soon as Rena Owen comes to the fore as Tala, Moana’s spirited grandmother (an elderly rebel who’s going to set this tale in motion), her playful aging-hippie spark connects.

— Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 8 July 2026
Off a counterattack following an Argentina corner, Mo Salah made a spirited run down the middle of the pitch.

— NBC News, NBC news, 7 July 2026

Definition of spirited

Adjective

Set the scene Morea House’s contemporary, angular facade faces right out onto the beach from where the lively V&A Waterfront is a 20-minute drive north, with Sea Point, another popular stretch of seafront, just 11 minutes away by car.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 July 2026
Known for its sprawling waterfront cottages and lively social scene, Muskoka sets the stage as relationships, careers, and personal lives collide.

— Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 9 July 2026

Definition of lively

Adjective

Zann eventually got a call from casting director Meredith Layne and a screenplay with lines that were instantly familiar from her time voicing Rogue, the spunky heroine whose touch can be deadly, in the ‘90s.

— Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
The spunky comedy streaming service couldn’t hit the mainstream enough to attract voters, despite some very funny programming.

— William Earl, Variety, 8 July 2026

Definition of spunky

Adjective

To imagine the natural world not as a passive resource but as an animate collaborator would be to reorder more than aesthetic categories, demanding another relation to our environment.

— Tara Anne Dalbow, ARTnews.com, 29 May 2026
Zugunruhe is the itinerant desire of any animate being to keep moving and growing.

— Big Think, Big Think, 6 May 2026

Definition of animate

Adjective

Despite the full lineup and passionate patriotic crowd in Seattle, Team USA looked uncomfortable from the start, fell behind early, made sloppy mistakes and could not keep up with the Belgians, who move on to face Spain in the quarterfinals.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 7 July 2026
Mexico’s passionate fans blasted horns outside the England hotel to disrupt players’ sleep, and the start of the match was delayed an hour because of a thunderstorm.

— Carlos Rodriguez, Chicago Tribune, 6 July 2026

Definition of passionate

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“Mettlesome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mettlesome. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of mettlesome

adjective

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