the principle of conscious life; the vital principle in humans, animating the body or mediating between body and soul.
the incorporeal part of humans.
present in spirit though absent in body.
the soul regarded as separating from the body at death.
conscious, incorporeal being, as opposed to matter.
the world of spirit.
a supernatural, incorporeal being, especially one inhabiting a place, object, etc., or having a particular character.
evil spirits.
a fairy, sprite, or elf.
an angel or demon.
an attitude or principle that inspires, animates, or pervades thought, feeling, or action.
the spirit of reform.
(initial capital letter) the divine influence as an agency working in the human heart.
a divine, inspiring, or animating being or influence. Numbers 11:25; Isaiah 32:15.
(initial capital letter) the third person of the Trinity; Holy Spirit.
the soul or heart as the seat of feelings or sentiments, or as prompting to action.
a man of broken spirit.
spirits, feelings or mood with regard to exaltation or depression.
low spirits; good spirits.
excellent disposition or attitude in terms of vigor, courage, firmness of intent, etc.; mettle.
That's the spirit!
temper or disposition.
meek in spirit.
an individual as characterized by a given attitude, disposition, character, action, etc..
A few brave spirits remained to face the danger.
the dominant tendency or character of anything.
the spirit of the age.
vigorous sense of membership in a group.
college spirit.
the general meaning or intent of a statement, document, etc. (opposed to letter).
the spirit of the law.
Chemistry. the essence or active principle of a substance as extracted in liquid form, especially by distillation.
Often spirits a strong distilled alcoholic liquor.
Chiefly British. alcohol.
Pharmacology. a solution in alcohol of an essential or volatile principle; essence.
any of certain subtle fluids formerly supposed to permeate the body.
the Spirit, God
pertaining to something that works by burning alcoholic spirits.
a spirit stove.
of or relating to spiritualist bodies or activities.
to animate with fresh ardor or courage; inspirit.
to encourage; urge on or stir up, as to action.
to carry off mysteriously or secretly (often followed by away oroff ).
His captors spirited him away.
the force or principle of life that animates the body of living things
temperament or disposition
truculent in spirit
liveliness; mettle
they set to it with spirit
the fundamental, emotional, and activating principle of a person; will
the experience broke his spirit
a sense of loyalty or dedication
team spirit
the prevailing element; feeling
a spirit of joy pervaded the atmosphere
state of mind or mood; attitude
he did it in the wrong spirit
(plural) an emotional state, esp with regard to exaltation or dejection
in high spirits
a person characterized by some activity, quality, or disposition
a leading spirit of the movement
the deeper more significant meaning as opposed to a pedantic interpretation
the spirit of the law
that which constitutes a person's intangible being as contrasted with his physical presence
I shall be with you in spirit
an incorporeal being, esp the soul of a dead person
( as modifier )
spirit world
to carry off mysteriously or secretly
(often foll by up) to impart animation or determination to
(often plural) any distilled alcoholic liquor such as brandy, rum, whisky, or gin
chem
an aqueous solution of ethanol, esp one obtained by distillation
the active principle or essence of a substance, extracted as a liquid, esp by distillation
pharmacol
a solution of a volatile substance, esp a volatile oil, in alcohol
( as modifier )
a spirit burner
alchemy any of the four substances sulphur, mercury, sal ammoniac, or arsenic
another name for the Holy Spirit
God, esp when regarded as transcending material limitations
the influence of God or divine things upon the soul
Christian Science God or divine substance
See ghost.
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English (noun), from Latin spīritus originally, “a breathing,” equivalent to spīri-, combining form representing spīrāre “to breathe” + -tus suffix of verb action
If someone tells you you have a sagging spirit, that means your life-force seems to be missing. Spirit comes from the Latin word for "breath," and like breath, spirit is considered a fundamental part of being alive. Some people think of the spirit as a presence that's separate from the body, which is why spirit is another word for ghost. We also use spirit to mean "the general mood or intent," like when you tell your former enemy, "I approach you in the spirit of kindness."
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She brought her son, Teddy, to New York for the premiere of “The Odyssey” because she wanted to show him the place where her creative spirit was born.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
But this three-night stand with Bill Murray, Beck, Jackson Browne and more was played in the spirit of the way fans revisit his beloved films.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
Often there's a sports team or community centre that becomes a focal point for neighbourly spirit.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
In the abiding spirit of the Americans who believed in and built that promise, this year’s series on how to think about constitutional meaning is limited only by what you, the people, can imagine.
From Slate ● Jul. 20, 2026
It seemed inevitable that the final few tethers would snap, one by one, and her spirit would lift away.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
Boos against opponents and bad referee and yells at your side to do better was the Spirit moving you to testify.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
In December, it was announced that Knight would not be playing for her franchise London Spirit in The Hundred as she was appointed as general manager for their women's team.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
With the notable exception of the already bankrupt Spirit, though, business has stabilized and is poised to gain altitude.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
Spirit Airlines, once the most prominent and disruptive of the discounters, shut down in May when the surge in fuel prices helped knock the bankrupt carrier from its already-precarious perch.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
Both had decided to close for the summer, but if they were going to be able to continue summer plans elsewhere, then they needed the gear that was stored at Spirit Lake.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
Fury, who bases his training camps in Thailand, appeared relaxed and in good spirits.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
Some of the best support, Ghazalian said, has come from lighthearted comments, which have helped buoy their spirits.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2026
Their father doesn’t dismiss their brush with the forest’s spirits as juvenile fantasy, either.
From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2026
Sazerac, a Louisville spirits maker that produces ready-to-drink cocktail brand BuzzBallz, also approached Brown-Forman about a potential deal, which Brown-Forman rejected.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
“The spirits have left us,” Leah repeated, sometimes through tears.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
It’s been a spirited rebuttal to what’s felt like a counterattack on the inherent values of the World Cup.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2026
The olive brine at the bottom of the container after the last olive has been spirited away for cocktails and snack plates.
From Salon ● Jun. 9, 2026
Travelers will find world-famous barbecue, a thriving arts scene and spirited sports bars to watch the games.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026
At the top of a design from the 1430s for the tower of the Imperial Cathedral in Frankfurt, drawn in a spirited freehand, is a group of unusually cheerful gargoyles.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 27, 2026
At the mention of a horse race, the children began snorting and rearing up like three spirited ponies.
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
Parada, co-founder of the treasure-hunting outfit Finders Keepers, has long suspected the FBI of conducting a secret overnight dig for the gold and spiriting it away.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 6, 2023
It has carried out spectacular missions such as hunting down Arab enemies through Europe, capturing Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann and, with agents disguised as scuba diving instructors, spiriting Ethiopian Jews out to Israel.
From Reuters ● Aug. 1, 2023
War heroes: A student spiriting supplies to soldiers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2022
Instead, after a spiriting comeback attempt came short on Saturday, the Suns are heading back to Milwaukee and the Bucks have a chance to prevent this series from lasting seven.
From The Guardian ● Jul. 20, 2021
Now the taxi turned right, spiriting her off in the opposite direction.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
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.
