adj
spunky
SPUHNG-kee
adj
1
Spirited, plucky, and full of courage.
"The spunky heroine refuses to back down from a challenge."
"Their spunky terrier barks at dogs three times its size."
How to Use Spunky
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishFull of pluck and courage, often used affectionately about someone feisty.
When to use it
Informal; note it also has a vulgar British slang sense related to "spunk" (semen), so context matters.
Common pairings
spunky heroine
spunky little dog
Word Forms
spunkier comparative, spunkys plural, spunkies plural, spunkiest superlative
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “spunky”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ heroine refuses to back down from a challenge.