1
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
2
as in fiery
marked by a lively display of strong feeling
a mettlesome debate on the teaching of evolution in the schools
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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.
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Tim Carman, Washington Post, 14 Nov. 2022
Tim Carman, Washington Post, 14 Nov. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mettlesome
Adjective
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He's been a warrior, always bouncing back to his energetic self.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
12 Mar. 2025
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Claudine’s vibe is welcoming and the lunch crowd is energetic.—
Ryan Fonseca,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Read Next World ‘Stocky’ creature with ‘fiery orange’ eyes found mating.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
17 Apr. 2025
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The sun is currently experiencing solar maximum, or the peak in its 11-year cycle, and as the sun becomes more active, researchers have observed increasingly intense solar flares and coronal mass ejections erupting from the fiery orb.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Katt also lent his voice to the animated The Get Along Gang in the mid-1980s, and in Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords.—
Marc Berman,
Forbes.com,
12 Apr. 2025
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In the brief animated video graphic shared to Perry’s Instagram, the expedition’s logo comes into frame, against a starry sky.—
Rania Aniftos,
Billboard,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Jimmy Butler led the team in scoring with 38, and Steph Curry made two back-breaking late 3-pointers to help the Warriors survive a spirited last-second Memphis push.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2025
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The visitors put in a spirited first half, marking Wood — the Nottingham Forest striker who is New Zealand’s all-time leading goalscorer by a considerable margin — with two or three defenders and dependably clearing crosses into the box.—
Jeff Rueter,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Panelists had been carefully chosen and the moderators ensured lively debates took place.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
10 Apr. 2025
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To introduce persimmon in a balanced way, Bassford recommends incorporating the color into decorative touches like wallpaper, upholstery, or bedding for a lively yet harmonious effect.—
Kristina McGuirk,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Meanwhile, the rebellious young Jim Hopper, the son of the town police chief, can’t seem to do anything right; the spunky Joyce Maldonado just wants to graduate and leave town, stat (but still has a thing for bad boys); and the tech nerd Bob is hopelessly in love with her.—
Sarah Bahr,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2025
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Trawling through the bowels of the luxury resort, the prez has some allies with her (Manny, the Chinese First Lady, the spunky head of the International Monetary Fund) and some duds (Douglas Hodge as the British Prime Minister, cast here as a moron with some wonderful comic relief).—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Charcuterie and cheese, potatoes and onions, meat and offal: These are the ingredients that animate Harris’s chalkboard menu, all old friends, treated with a grandmotherly mix of tenderness and brawn.—
Amiel Stanek,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
4 Apr. 2025
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Your business should excite your customers, frustrate your competitors and animate and motivate your people.—
Jeffrey Russell,
Forbes,
6 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Beyond football, Sanders is equally passionate about advancing women’s sports.—
Kimberly Wilson,
Essence,
9 Apr. 2025
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In-Ring Update, Nia Jax Sidelined, Multiple AEW Injuries Eddie Kingston Known for his passionate promos and hard-hitting in-ring style, Eddie Kingston has captured the hearts of many wrestling fans.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mettlesome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mettlesome. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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