spry
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- spryly adverb
- spryness noun
Etymology
Origin of spry
First recorded in 1740–50; origin uncertain
Explanation
If you are an old lady, remaining spry is something you aspire to. It means "nimble." You might also use it to describe a goat that jumps easily along from mountain crag to mountain crag. The most common use of spry is to describe people who are aging. You might say that at 92, your great grandmother is still spry and sharp as a tack. Spry refers to her physical well-being; "sharp as a tack" to her mental faculties.
Vocabulary lists containing spry
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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.
The lean, athletic Mr. Herzog, 83 years old, seems as spry and eager as ever, and his global enthusiasm remains a force of nature in itself.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026
Pilates, once a week in L.A., helps keep her spry.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 3, 2025
"My ancestors have always remained spry, both mentally and physically, and all remained very active right into their old age," she says.
From BBC • Oct. 21, 2025
The spry assistance of stagehands, who not only move set pieces but help flesh out the world of the play, is a jaunty touch.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 28, 2025
“She seems so smart and spry, and then, the next moment, she seems to forget — she talks as though her husband were still alive.”
From "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" by Elizabeth George Speare
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
