as in playful
given to good-natured joking or teasing
a sportive pastor who began every sermon with a joke
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Recent Examples of sportive
That was true even in extremely endangered ones such as the northern sportive lemur (Lepilemur septentrionalis) of which only 40 are known to exist, all within 12 square kilometers of Madagascar.
—
Byelizabeth Pennisi, science.org, 1 June 2023
Revel, too, in more sportive jaunts, such as volcano hiking, horseback-riding, zip-lining, rappelling down waterfalls, fishing and white-water river rafting.
—Laura Manske, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2023
The rarest is the Sahafary sportive lemur (Lepilemur septentrionalis), found in a tiny area in northern Madagascar.
—Anna Funk, Discover Magazine, 16 Nov. 2020
The remaining lineage split into the sportive lemurs (Lepilemuridae), and the dwarf and mouse lemurs (Cheirogaleidae; right).
—Discover Magazine, 17 Mar. 2011
See All Example Sentences for sportive
Byelizabeth Pennisi, science.org, 1 June 2023
Revel, too, in more sportive jaunts, such as volcano hiking, horseback-riding, zip-lining, rappelling down waterfalls, fishing and white-water river rafting.
—Laura Manske, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2023
The rarest is the Sahafary sportive lemur (Lepilemur septentrionalis), found in a tiny area in northern Madagascar.
—Anna Funk, Discover Magazine, 16 Nov. 2020
The remaining lineage split into the sportive lemurs (Lepilemuridae), and the dwarf and mouse lemurs (Cheirogaleidae; right).
—Discover Magazine, 17 Mar. 2011
See All Example Sentences for sportive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sportive
playful
Adjective
-
Both players enjoyed some playful banter during the game.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
29 July 2025
-
Many designs incorporate bold color accents, vibrant greens, reds, yellows, and blues by adding a playful contrast to the metals.—
Essence,
Essence,
29 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sportive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sportive. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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