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.
In its first moments, the universe was a seething soup of elementary particles and energetic photons that would destroy any atom before it could form.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
The energetic song with a pronounced Greek accent recounts a son's thirst for glory and fortune so that he can give his mother everything they lacked during his childhood.
From Barron's • May 15, 2026
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
A blooming marvellous kit - South Korea's away strip featured an energetic, floral design set against a violet base.
From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026
There were also a special few with energetic fathers who were expecting appointments to Annapolis or West Point or the Coast Guard Academy or even—this alternative had been unexpectedly stumbled on—the Merchant Marine Academy.
From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles
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.
