spirited
adjective
spir·it·ed
ˈspir-ə-təd 
: full of energy, animation, or courage
a spirited discussion
spiritedly
adverb
spiritedness
noun
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You may see spirited used to describe a conversation, a debate, a horse, or a campaign. And it often shows up in such words as high-spirited ("bold and energetic"), mean-spirited ("spiteful"), and public-spirited ("generous to a community"), all of which reflect the original meaning of spirit, a notion much like "soul" or "personality".
Examples of spirited in a Sentence
The team put up a spirited defense.
She's a very spirited young lady.
Recent Examples on the Web
Manager Aaron Boone engaged in a spirited conversation with Schallock about batting practice and fielding drills.
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Daniel Brown, The Athletic, 9 Mar. 2025
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) While not as much of the countercultural anger of Ken Kesey’s novel made it into the screen adaptation, as a basic story of the good guys banding together to beat the bad guy, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is still rousing, spirited entertainment.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
The nearly four-hour ceremony, hosted by Conan O’Brien, featured other memorable moments, including a powerful speech from a first-time acting winner and a series of spirited musical numbers.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 3 Mar. 2025
And yet few declared her the front-runner, perhaps because the spirited newcomer was nominated against four industry veterans (Jane Fonda, Sissy Spacek, Kathleen Turner, and Sigourney Weaver).
—Zach Schonfeld, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spirited
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Daniel Brown, The Athletic, 9 Mar. 2025
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) While not as much of the countercultural anger of Ken Kesey’s novel made it into the screen adaptation, as a basic story of the good guys banding together to beat the bad guy, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is still rousing, spirited entertainment.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
The nearly four-hour ceremony, hosted by Conan O’Brien, featured other memorable moments, including a powerful speech from a first-time acting winner and a series of spirited musical numbers.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 3 Mar. 2025
And yet few declared her the front-runner, perhaps because the spirited newcomer was nominated against four industry veterans (Jane Fonda, Sissy Spacek, Kathleen Turner, and Sigourney Weaver).
—Zach Schonfeld, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spirited
Cite this Entry
“Spirited.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spirited. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
spirited
adjective
spir·it·ed
ˈspir-ət-əd
: full of courage or energy
a spirited discussion
spiritedly
adverb
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