1
as in pistol
a very energetic person
the babysitter will have her hands full with those two little live wires
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in powerhouse
an ambitious person who eagerly goes after what is desired
that new reporter on the police beat is a real live wire
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of live wire
The drama tonight is about the host, Jerry Lewis, at the time something of a live wire and out of keeping with Academy tradition.
—
Bill Wyman, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2025
Harmony, for all her accomplishments, is a live wire and a threat.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 7 Mar. 2025
The drama tonight is about the host, Jerry Lewis, at the time something of a live wire and out of keeping with Academy tradition.
—Bill Wyman, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2025
And then, there were these live wires from all the cables on the ground.
—Wendy Grossman Kantor, People.com, 16 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for live wire
Bill Wyman, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2025
Harmony, for all her accomplishments, is a live wire and a threat.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 7 Mar. 2025
The drama tonight is about the host, Jerry Lewis, at the time something of a live wire and out of keeping with Academy tradition.
—Bill Wyman, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2025
And then, there were these live wires from all the cables on the ground.
—Wendy Grossman Kantor, People.com, 16 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for live wire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for live wire
Noun
-
He was disguised with a knit stocking and sunglasses and carried a pistol, according to KHBS/KHOG-TV.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
27 May 2025
-
Forget about the cheetah’s speed, the eagle’s eyesight or the elephant’s brute strength, and say hello to the invisible glass frog, the indestructible honey badger and the pistol shrimp who can fire bubbles that are as hot as the surface of the sun.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
27 May 2025
Noun
-
There’s another intimate powerhouse of a show at the Museum of Modern Art.—
Shauna Lyon,
New Yorker,
23 May 2025
-
The United States, once the manufacturing powerhouse of the world, now sees nearly 80% of its GDP derived from services.—
Richard Lebovitz,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
Noun
-
Their starting assumption was that the early Moon had a dynamo that generated a weak magnetic field 50 times weaker than Earth's.—
Jennifer Ouellette,
ArsTechnica,
23 May 2025
-
Booker, Texas’ offensive dynamo, scored 14 points in the second half.—
Alanis Thames,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Live wire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/live%20wire. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share