animal spirits

American  

noun

1. exuberance arising from an excess of energy; vivacity and good humor.

   The children romped on the lawn, full of animal spirits.

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animal spirits British  

plural noun

1. cheerful and exuberant boisterousness

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Etymology

Origin of animal spirits

First recorded in 1535–45

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

animal spirits

The Downing Street duo are trying to maintain this precious commodity of confidence and the promotion of economic animal spirits that have been suppressed by years of political and economic chaos.

From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026

The central question remains whether Japan will become an economy where reforms have unleashed more animal spirits and spurred investment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

Notice the break above a short term downtrend on the ratio chart against the S&P 500, which is another good sign of returning animal spirits.

From Barron's ● Apr. 22, 2026

“All of these, not to mention the S&P 500’s linear rally nearing 40% from the 4/7 intraday low, have ignited corporate and investor animal spirits alike,” he says.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2025

In her animal spirits there was an affluence of life and certainty of flow, such as excited my wonder, while it baffled my comprehension.

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë