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".
Synonyms
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
In the end, however, Argentina outlasted a spirited Colombia side 1-0 in extra time.
—
Felipe Cardenas, The Athletic, 28 Dec. 2024
Kapadia also profiles a handful of female journalists, who, alongside the film’s array of villains, emerge as spirited heroes offering an iota of hope to counter the feeling of impending doom.
—Natalia Winkelman, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024
Even though some of their American friends work on the 26th, people gather at their house in the evening for a spirited pub quiz, yummy leftovers and mulled wine.
—Amanda Cappelli, CBS News, 26 Dec. 2024
Expect a spirited effort from Pittsburgh, but Kansas City's depth will ultimately carry the day.
—Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 25 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spirited 
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Felipe Cardenas, The Athletic, 28 Dec. 2024
Kapadia also profiles a handful of female journalists, who, alongside the film’s array of villains, emerge as spirited heroes offering an iota of hope to counter the feeling of impending doom.
—Natalia Winkelman, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024
Even though some of their American friends work on the 26th, people gather at their house in the evening for a spirited pub quiz, yummy leftovers and mulled wine.
—Amanda Cappelli, CBS News, 26 Dec. 2024
Expect a spirited effort from Pittsburgh, but Kansas City's depth will ultimately carry the day.
—Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 25 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spirited
Dictionary Entries Near spirited
Cite this Entry
“Spirited.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spirited. Accessed 4 Jan. 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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