Synonyms

live wire

American

[lahyv] / laɪv /

noun

Informal.

an energetic, keenly alert person.

live wire British

/ laɪv /

noun

informal an energetic or enterprising person
a wire carrying an electric current

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

live wire Idioms

A highly alert or energetic person. For example, Sally's a real live wire; she brightens up any gathering. This metaphoric term transfers a wire carrying electric current to a lively individual. [c. 1900]

Etymology

Origin of live wire

An Americanism dating back to 1900–05

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.

I thought I would have become less of a live wire, but that hasn’t happened.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 21, 2025

I preferred being “that girl who owns that shop” instead of “that girl whose shop ended up closing,” and who felt like a failing live wire because of it.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 26, 2024

The basement of a rowhouse in South Baltimore exploded Saturday morning due to the combustive combination of a live wire and leaking natural gas.

From Washington Times • Nov. 18, 2023

Mr James, a high-voltage utility line worker from Arkansas, lost most of his face when it accidentally touched a 7,200-volt live wire in 2021.

From BBC • Nov. 9, 2023

“You got a real live wire here,” Milton said, turning to my brother.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023