animal spirits

NOUN

liveliness

Synonyms

WEAK

bounce energy exuberance frolicsomeness life nervous spirits sportiveness spriteliness vitality vivacity zing

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.

But if the war is wrapped up soon, Walsh sees animal spirits returning to boost both stock and bond markets.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

None of this means that the investment markets’ performance is always driven by animal spirits.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2026

Many banks on Wall Street had started 2025 talking about animal spirits in the form of increased mergers and acquisitions and capital markets activity.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 13, 2026

Hartnett also referenced the troubles in credit and private equity as examples of peak liquidity and animal spirits.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 21, 2025

She had high animal spirits, and a sort of natural self-consequence, which the attentions of the officers, to whom her uncle’s good dinners and her own easy manners recommended her, had increased into assurance.

From "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen