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
Wilson was seen in a spirited exchange with Jets head coach Aaron Glenn heading into halftime after the team’s baffling clock management on its final drive.
—
The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
Throughout the movie, the residents of the most spirited cul-de-sac pay homage to both Halloweentown, but also to many classic horror movies.
—Rebecca Angel Baer, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2025
The Mercury made another spirited comeback, similar to Game 3, after Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts was hit with a double technical and ejected for arguing with the refs, but the team couldn’t draw any closer than six.
—Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 11 Oct. 2025
The founder of Antonie’s Restaurant is said to return to check up on things, and the Séance Lounge at Muriel’s Jackson Square is a truly spirited spot for a cocktail.
—Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 11 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spirited
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The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
Throughout the movie, the residents of the most spirited cul-de-sac pay homage to both Halloweentown, but also to many classic horror movies.
—Rebecca Angel Baer, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2025
The Mercury made another spirited comeback, similar to Game 3, after Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts was hit with a double technical and ejected for arguing with the refs, but the team couldn’t draw any closer than six.
—Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 11 Oct. 2025
The founder of Antonie’s Restaurant is said to return to check up on things, and the Séance Lounge at Muriel’s Jackson Square is a truly spirited spot for a cocktail.
—Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 11 Oct. 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 17 Oct. 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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