adjective
Related Words
See active.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of energetic
First recorded in 1645–55; from Greek energētikós, from energē- (from en- en- 2 + ergē-, variant stem of ergeîn “to be active”; see energy) + -tikos -tic
Explanation
Energetic describes someone who has lots of get-up-and-go. When you decide to jog alongside the bus instead of taking it to work, you are energetic — so energetic that it tires the rest of the commuters out just watching you. Energetic comes from the Greek, energetikos, meaning “active.” When you are energetic, you're active with enthusiasm and excitement to spare. Energetic describes those little kids you babysit, who never sit still and force you to play hide and seek. Energetic can also mean a powerful focused effort, where you work hard to achieve something. The energetic bond between the men was formed after months of training together in the military.
Vocabulary lists containing energetic
In the Mood? 100 Words to Describe Emotions
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Hooked on a Feeling, List 3
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"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 6
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Not only is it impossible to truly “fix” or “change” anyone, it’s simply not an efficient or productive use of your precious energetic and material resources.
From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026
Using a network of radio telescopes spread across the globe, a team led by Curtin University captured detailed images that reveal just how energetic these jets can be.
From Science Daily • Apr. 18, 2026
A game of energetic ping-pong unfolded underneath the gallery’s fluorescent light, beams of identification, recollections or stabs of grief bouncing off each piece in the exhibition.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026
Once he brought a lightbulb into the dressing room while asking his players to be energetic and shine.
From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026
Galaxies would become ever more distant from one another, and the star stuff that drives all the energetic reactions in the universe would become more rarefied.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
