sprightly
Americanadjective
adverb
adjective
adverb
Other Word Forms
- sprightliness noun
- unsprightly adjective
Etymology
Origin of sprightly
Explanation
To be sprightly is to be full of youthful, vibrant energy. You don’t have to be young to be sprightly, though, energetic old people can be sprightly, too. Weeeeeee! The word sprightly comes from the word sprite, which is a small, elf-like fairy creature. If someone acts like a happy little fairy, has a lot of enthusiasm, and acts in a youthful way, she’s sprightly. To be sprightly is to be full of spirit and vitality, to be happy, and to have a positive attitude. Someone who radiates energy and positivity is sprightly.
Vocabulary lists containing sprightly
Things Fall Apart
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Smiley Face: Synonyms for "Happy"
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Stargirl
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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.
Its cast is exactly the sprightly ensemble needed to land its what-if laughs.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026
This delightful production, directed with a sprightly touch by Robert Falls, who led the Goodman for 35 years, glitters with the incisive wit that was a hallmark of Mr. Greenberg’s writing.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026
The legs have not looked as sprightly as they once did.
From BBC • Dec. 6, 2025
Teenage star Yamal underwhelmed in last week's defeat by Real Madrid after coming back from a groin issue, but looked more sprightly against Elche.
From Barron's • Nov. 2, 2025
I am transitional; some days I look like a worn-out thirty-five, others like a sprightly fifty.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
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.
