brisk
Americanadjective
-
brisker,
comparative
-
briskest
superlative
verb (used with or without object)
adjective
-
lively and quick; vigorous
a brisk walk
trade was brisk
-
invigorating or sharp
brisk weather
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of brisk
First recorded in 1580–90; of uncertain origin
Explanation
Brisk is one of those delightful words that sounds like what it means: quick, lively, bracing, and refreshing. There's nothing like a brisk walk in the morning to get the blood flowing and the spirit ready for the day. Anything brisk is happening quickly but not too fast. Probably taken from the French brusque, which also means "quick," but in a more negative way, brisk can be used to describe not only physical actions but also more conceptual notions, such as brisk business around the holidays or brisk interactions at a speed-dating event. The soft-drink called Brisk must be called that for a good reason. Perhaps it picks you up!
Vocabulary lists containing brisk
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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.
See Examples For:
However, with high pressure centred across the north of the UK, a brisk easterly breeze will affect southern and eastern areas on Tuesday.
From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026
After a pianissimo, ambient rumble combined with a brisk layer of tapping, both produced inside the piano, a gentle, melancholy theme is played on the keyboard, repeating and gradually expanding.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026
Theater operators have seen brisk sales of snacks, popcorn, and limited-edition movie themed merchandise.
From Barron's ● Oct. 26, 2026
Aerobic exercise is physical activity that increases heart rate and breathing, such as brisk walking, swimming, or cycling.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 26, 2026
A brisk walk home would dispel the little pinpricks of unease at the edges of my mind.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
While heatwave conditions will continue across many parts of England and Wales through this coming week, a brisker wind means temperatures have dropped a degree or two relative to recent days.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
From time to time I’ll make an exception and settle into a relative page-turner: nothing with cliffhangers or lots of hand-to-hand combat, mind you, but with a brisker narrative pace.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
But Nicole moved at a brisker pace, lessening the amount of rainfall over the region.
From New York Times ● Nov. 10, 2022
As a northeasterner, I've long associated back to school with the cooler, brisker days of pumpkin spice season.
From Salon ● Aug. 28, 2022
One morning there was a different smell in the air, and the ship was moving oddly, with a brisker rocking from side to side instead of the plunging and soaring.
From "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman
Mid-Atlantic region unexpectedly accelerated in August to the briskest pace since April and firms reported input price pressures eased to the lowest since late 2020.
From Reuters ● Aug. 18, 2022
The planets are putting on an amazing celestial show nightly, and many regions of the country are about to host some of the briskest bird traffic of the year.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 21, 2021
Ms. Mearns, never rushed by this, creates marvelous dynamic variety within it, often finding time to phrase with seeming slowness, while rising to its briskest passages as if riding the full power of a wave.
From New York Times ● Sep. 23, 2015
British factories followed Asia's lead, increasing activity at the fastest rate in seven months while creating new jobs in at the briskest pace in more than three years.
From Reuters ● Jul. 1, 2014
Once within the house, however, he behaved with the briskest determination.
From The Blue Pavilions by Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch
As I brisked out of bed the following morning at half-after six, I could not but wonder rather nervously what the day might have in store for me.
From Ruggles of Red Gap by Harry Leon Wilson
Bakers' shops were piled high with WEIHNACHTSSTOLLEN, which were a special mark of the festival: cakes shaped like torpedoes, whose sugared, almonded coats brisked brown and tempting.
From Maurice Guest by Henry Handel Richardson
His healthy side brisked up as he turned and looked toward a door to the left: "Ragni!" he called.
From In God's Way A Novel by Bj?rnstjerne Bj?rnson
Susan brisked up a little for the occasion, and looked very pretty as bridesmaid.
From The Courtship of Susan Bell by Anthony Trollope
"Oh, that's all right," Hewson brisked up in response, as he took the cigar St. John offered him.
From Questionable Shapes by William Dean Howells
"Such a charming musical evening—such a treat!" said she, brisking up, and quite unaware of what had been passing round her the last two hours.
From Bluebell A Novel by Mrs. George Croft Huddleston
“Oh rather,” he assented, brisking up at the prospect of a row.
From A Frontier Mystery by Bertram Mitford
As I write the breeze is brisking up, doors are beginning to slam: and shutters; a strong draught sweeps round the balcony; it looks doubtful for to-morrow.
From Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson — Volume 2 by Robert Louis Stevenson
As I write, the breeze is brisking up, doors are beginning to slam, and shutters; a strong draught sweeps round the balcony; it looks doubtful for to-morrow.
From The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 24 (of 25) by Robert Louis Stevenson
She was relieved to see that the oddly assorted men and women about her were brisking up, and beginning to talk, even to laugh, with one another.
From From out the Vasty Deep by Marie Belloc Lowndes
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