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.

Notice the break above a short term downtrend on the ratio chart against the S&P 500, which is another good sign of returning animal spirits.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

There is some space for green shoots to sprout now, or at least for the animal spirits of the economy to emerge from non-stop chaos.

From BBC • Nov. 26, 2025

“All of these, not to mention the S&P 500’s linear rally nearing 40% from the 4/7 intraday low, have ignited corporate and investor animal spirits alike,” he says.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 13, 2025

Perhaps his presence unleashed the animal spirits at Bethpage Black.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 29, 2025

I was young, and, despite dread, full of animal spirits; it was impossible for me to take a dark view too long.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides