adjective
Synonym Usage
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.
It wasn't like they were under major pressure - the hosts are a pretty toothless side - but neither were they accurate or energetic.
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026
The 97-degree reading adds physical evidence to the idea that tyrannosaurs were energetic animals with relatively high metabolisms.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026
But the last two decades have been filled with challenges for McClatchy, whose chain of newspapers across the Central Valley and beyond was once known for its energetic journalism and independent streak.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
Bruna Subashi, an energetic woman in her 40s, asked to convene in a luridly pink dessert parlor on Vlore’s waterfront called Big Scoop.
From Slate ● Sep. 8, 2026
Eventually alpha rays were identified as helium atoms stripped of their electrons—that is, helium nuclei-—and beta rays as energetic electrons.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
