✅ Spirited describes something that shows energy, vitality, or courage (a spirited debate about modern music).

✅ Animated describes something that shows energy and liveliness (She was always animated when discussing her cat).

✅ These words refer to things which show energy and force.

✅ Spirited emphasizes courage and strength, whereas animated emphasizes energy (an animated explanation; a spirited performance in the ring).

✅ Nervous describes being especially uneasy or apprehensive, particularly in an excessively excited way (He felt so nervous that he started pacing the room).

✅ Overwrought describes being extremely agitated, particularly in a frantic way (I took a break when I started feeling overwrought).

✅ These words both describe feeling agitated, uneasy, or apprehensive and may suggest feeling hysterical.

✅ Nervous suggests a direct cause of your feelings, whereas overwrought suggests a mood you might be in that makes events more difficult (I cry more easily when I’m overwrought; I’m nervous about the interview).

✅ Flighty describes someone who is often frivolous and prone to flights of fancy (a fun but flighty friend).

✅ Capricious describes someone who is erratic and changeable (a capricious person who was hard to anticipate).

✅ Flighty often suggests irresponsibility, but isn’t necessarily a negative term, while capricious suggests being unpredictable and is often negative (I was always in trouble with my capricious boss; Being flighty makes him fun to hang out with).