sprightly

adjective

spright·ly ˈsprīt-lē How to pronounce sprightly (audio)

sprightlier; sprightliest

: marked by a gay lightness and vivacity : spirited

a sprightly musical

: having a distinctively piquant taste : zesty

a sprightly salsa

sprightliness noun

sprightly adverb

Did you know?

Sprightly comes from spright, an archaic version of the word we now use for an elf or fairy: sprite. Ariel from William Shakespeare's The Tempest and the leprechaun of Irish mythology are often referred to as sprites, and it's no coincidence that both are characterized by their light, flitting movements and mannerisms. Sprite derives via Middle English and Old French from the Latin spiritus, which of course gives us spirit as well. A similar-looking adjective that can describe someone who is nimble and energetic is spry, but the origin of that word is not known.

Example Sentences

a sprightly child who often claims to be too tired to move when it's time to do chores

Recent Examples on the Web But the sprightly nature of the tunes and arrangements means the melancholy of the words is only part of the story.

Mark Richardson, WSJ, 5 Sep. 2022 But where the original glides along a smooth, deep-house concourse, Koze provides a slightly choppy piano-house beat that feels brighter, sprightly and warm.

Katie Bain, Billboard, 19 Aug. 2022 As Pruitt peeled open a can of Friskies, Popcorn was suddenly sprightly.

Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 6 July 2022 That’s relatively svelte by modern standards and will make for an agile, sprightly tank.

Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 14 June 2022 In the sprightly shade, Middleton proved a summery color can look seasonally appropriate in the fall, especially when paired with a black turtleneck, black belt, and navy suede pumps, which helped ground the look.

Christian Allaire, Vogue, 29 Sep. 2021 The younger version of Leia, Luke’s twin sister, makes a sprightly appearance in Obi-Wan Kenobi, thankfully played by a real actor, a delightful Vivien Lyra Blair.

Grace Segers, The New Republic, 14 June 2022 But none of this sitting-around stuff for this sprightly 58-year-old.

Frederick N. Rasmussen, Baltimore Sun, 11 May 2022 At the sound of the sprightly steel drum opening, Lido Pimienta lit up with a playful grin and started vocalizing.

Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2022 See More

sprightly 1 of 2

adjective

as in lively

having much high-spirited energy and movement a sprightly child who often claims to be too tired to move when it's time to do chores

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

lively
energetic
animated
brisk
active
animate
cheerful
spirited
bouncing
enthusiastic
vivacious
perky
peppy
playful
jaunty
awake
frisky
zippy
sparky
springy
jazzy
pert
kinetic
mettlesome
racy
snappy
airy
gay
agile
vital
spanking
spry
up
bright
pizazzy
dapper
dashing
eager
pizzazzy
nimble
effervescent
spiffy
buoyant
chirpy
upbeat
chipper
ebullient
impish
on the go
exuberant
bubbly
sparkly
boisterous
frolicsome
alert
agog
keen
nervous
open-eyed
wide-awake
pixieish
high-spirited
skittish
chirrupy
high-strung

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

languid
listless
limp
leaden
dead
spiritless
lackadaisical
indolent
inactive
vapid
lifeless
inanimate
unambitious
sluggish
lazy
languishing
languorous
weary
torpid
inert
sleepy
stolid
tired
phlegmatic
lethargic
impassive
apathetic
dull
irksome
tedious
boring

sprightly

2 of 2

adverb

as in playfully

in a quick and spirited manner every morning the elderly couple sprightly sets out on a walk

Synonyms & Similar Words

lively
playfully
buoyantly
vivaciously
pertly
spiritedly
animately
bouncily
perkily
airily
animatedly
energetically
gayly
allegro
trippingly
snappily
gaily
briskly
effervescently
crisply
livelily
friskily
high-spiritedly
jazzily
sportively
breezily
spryly
racily
sparkily
dashingly
agilely
jauntily
skittishly
springily
dapperly
cockily
nimbly
gamesomely

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sluggishly
tardily
dully
indolently
lazily
heavily
idly
lethargically
halfheartedly
inanimately
slothfully
listlessly
tiredly
wearily
inactively

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of sprightly are animated, gay, lively, and vivacious. While all these words mean "keenly alive and spirited," sprightly suggests lightness and spirited vigor of manner or wit.

a tuneful, sprightly musical

In some situations, the words animated and sprightly are roughly equivalent. However, animated applies to what is spirited and active.

an animated discussion of current events

The meanings of gay and sprightly largely overlap; however, gay stresses complete freedom from care and overflowing spirits.

the gay spirit of Paris in the 1920s

While the synonyms lively and sprightly are close in meaning, lively suggests briskness, alertness, or energy.

a lively debate on the issues

Although the words vivacious and sprightly have much in common, vivacious suggests an activeness of gesture and wit, often playful or alluring.

a vivacious party host

单词	sprightly
释义	sprightly adjective spright·ly ˈsprīt-lē sprightlier; sprightliest 1 : marked by a gay lightness and vivacity : spirited a sprightly musical 2 : having a distinctively piquant taste : zesty a sprightly salsa sprightliness noun sprightly adverb Did you know? Sprightly comes from spright, an archaic version of the word we now use for an elf or fairy: sprite. Ariel from William Shakespeare's The Tempest and the leprechaun of Irish mythology are often referred to as sprites, and it's no coincidence that both are characterized by their light, flitting movements and mannerisms. Sprite derives via Middle English and Old French from the Latin spiritus, which of course gives us spirit as well. A similar-looking adjective that can describe someone who is nimble and energetic is spry, but the origin of that word is not known. Synonyms active airy animate animated bouncing brisk energetic frisky gay jaunty jazzy kinetic lively mettlesome peppy perky pert pizzazzy pizazzy racy snappy spanking sparky spirited springy vital vivacious zippy See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences a sprightly child who often claims to be too tired to move when it's time to do chores Recent Examples on the Web But the sprightly nature of the tunes and arrangements means the melancholy of the words is only part of the story. Mark Richardson, WSJ, 5 Sep. 2022 But where the original glides along a smooth, deep-house concourse, Koze provides a slightly choppy piano-house beat that feels brighter, sprightly and warm. Katie Bain, Billboard, 19 Aug. 2022 As Pruitt peeled open a can of Friskies, Popcorn was suddenly sprightly. Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 6 July 2022 That’s relatively svelte by modern standards and will make for an agile, sprightly tank. Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 14 June 2022 In the sprightly shade, Middleton proved a summery color can look seasonally appropriate in the fall, especially when paired with a black turtleneck, black belt, and navy suede pumps, which helped ground the look. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 29 Sep. 2021 The younger version of Leia, Luke’s twin sister, makes a sprightly appearance in Obi-Wan Kenobi, thankfully played by a real actor, a delightful Vivien Lyra Blair. Grace Segers, The New Republic, 14 June 2022 But none of this sitting-around stuff for this sprightly 58-year-old. Frederick N. Rasmussen, Baltimore Sun, 11 May 2022 At the sound of the sprightly steel drum opening, Lido Pimienta lit up with a playful grin and started vocalizing. Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2022 See More Word History Etymology obsolete spright (sprite), alteration of sprite First Known Use 1592, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Kids Definition sprightly adjective spright·ly ˈsprīt-lē sprightlier; sprightliest : full of spirit : lively sprightly 1 of 2 adjective as in lively having much high-spirited energy and movement a sprightly child who often claims to be too tired to move when it's time to do chores Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance lively energetic animated brisk active animate cheerful spirited bouncing enthusiastic vivacious perky peppy playful jaunty awake frisky zippy sparky springy jazzy pert kinetic mettlesome racy snappy airy gay agile vital spanking spry up bright pizazzy dapper dashing eager pizzazzy nimble effervescent spiffy buoyant chirpy upbeat chipper ebullient impish on the go exuberant bubbly sparkly boisterous frolicsome alert agog keen nervous open-eyed wide-awake pixieish high-spirited skittish chirrupy high-strung Antonyms & Near Antonyms languid listless limp leaden dead spiritless lackadaisical indolent inactive vapid lifeless inanimate unambitious sluggish lazy languishing languorous weary torpid inert sleepy stolid tired phlegmatic lethargic impassive apathetic dull irksome tedious boring See More sprightly 2 of 2 adverb as in playfully in a quick and spirited manner every morning the elderly couple sprightly sets out on a walk Synonyms & Similar Words lively playfully buoyantly vivaciously pertly spiritedly animately bouncily perkily airily animatedly energetically gayly allegro trippingly snappily gaily briskly effervescently crisply livelily friskily high-spiritedly jazzily sportively breezily spryly racily sparkily dashingly agilely jauntily skittishly springily dapperly cockily nimbly gamesomely Antonyms & Near Antonyms sluggishly tardily dully indolently lazily heavily idly lethargically halfheartedly inanimately slothfully listlessly tiredly wearily inactively See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of sprightly are animated, gay, lively, and vivacious. While all these words mean "keenly alive and spirited," sprightly suggests lightness and spirited vigor of manner or wit. a tuneful, sprightly musical In some situations, the words animated and sprightly are roughly equivalent. However, animated applies to what is spirited and active. an animated discussion of current events The meanings of gay and sprightly largely overlap; however, gay stresses complete freedom from care and overflowing spirits. the gay spirit of Paris in the 1920s While the synonyms lively and sprightly are close in meaning, lively suggests briskness, alertness, or energy. a lively debate on the issues Although the words vivacious and sprightly have much in common, vivacious suggests an activeness of gesture and wit, often playful or alluring. a vivacious party host
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sprightly

adjective

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

adjective

adjective

adverb

Synonym Chooser