adjective
Related Words
See active.
Other Word Forms
- energetically adverb
- hyperenergetic adjective
- nonenergetic adjective
- nonenergetically adverb
- quasi-energetic adjective
- quasi-energetically adverb
- superenergetic adjective
- superenergetically adverb
- ultraenergetic adjective
- unenergetic adjective
- unenergetically adverb
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”; 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.
Instead, he campaigned in rural areas and small towns where, as an energetic 45-year-old, he gave as many as seven speeches a day.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026
"Most of them are in a very favourable position in the cost of the machine and the energetic cost," he says.
From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026
Sonza performed Saturday on the Gobi Stage -- which year after year hosts indie and alternative acts -- in front of a crowd that danced and sang along in an intimate yet energetic atmosphere.
From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026
This suggests that electrical activity driven by dust, lightning, or energetic particles may play a broader role in shaping planetary environments.
From Science Daily • Apr. 5, 2026
They turned their heads to watch as an energetic old woman came out, waving a broom over her head and shouting something.
From "Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt
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.
