Meaning 1
Lively, spirited, and ready to meet challenges.
Reach for it when praising bold energy while acknowledging an edge of defiance
The feisty debater defended her proposal with humor and evidence.
Meaning 2
Inclined to be combative or irritable.
Reach for it when naming difficult spiritedness without turning it into praise
The feisty terrier barked whenever another dog approached.
| Meaning 1 | Meaning 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| playful | ||
| everyday |
|
|
| warm | ||
| professional | ||
| formal | ||
| literary |
everyday
Fits when willingness to act is the strength
Careful Bold does not convey lively temperament.
warm
Fits when cheerful courage appears despite disadvantage
Careful Plucky can patronize an accomplished adult.
warm
Fits when lively courage is wholly positive
Careful Spirited softens the readiness to challenge others.
professional
Fits when persistent effort toward a goal matters
Careful Tenacious is steadier and less volatile.
playful
scrappy
Fits when underdog energy and willingness to fight suit the tone
Careful Scrappy can suggest poor polish.
professional
combative
Fits when readiness for conflict causes a problem
Careful Combative removes the charm that feisty may retain.
formal
irascible
Fits when quick anger is the precise criticism
Careful Irascible is about temper, not vigor.
literary
peppery
Fits when sharp lively temperament deserves a vivid metaphor
Careful Peppery can trivialize serious aggression.
feisty spirit
Her feisty spirit carried the campaign through two setbacks.
feisty debate
A feisty debate exposed the proposal's weak assumptions.
feisty temperament
The rescue dog has a feisty temperament around larger animals.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Vealhurl, Southern England accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated
Your browser isn't saving lists, so this one will be cleared when you leave the page.