brisk

1 of 2

adjective

ˈbrisk How to pronounce brisk (audio)
Synonyms of brisk
1
: keenly alert : lively
… a brisk old lady with no nonsense about her …—Jean Stafford
2
a
: pleasingly tangy
brisk tea
b
: fresh, invigorating
a brisk autumn day
3
: sharp in tone or manner
was very brisk on the phone
4
a
: energetic, quick
took a brisk walk
at a brisk pace
b
: marked by much activity
business was brisk
briskly adverb
briskness noun

brisk

2 of 2

verb

brisked; brisking; brisks

transitive verb

: to make animated, energetic, or marked by much activity : to make brisk

intransitive verb

: to become brisk
—usually used with up
business brisked up

Synonyms of brisk

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Adjective

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Examples of brisk in a Sentence

Adjective She answered the phone in a brisk voice. They went for a brisk walk in the woods. She walked at a brisk pace. Business is brisk at the store. There is a brisk market in old movie posters.
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Adjective
Access, however, is poor, with just one road in and one road out, while the nearest train station is a brisk 50-to-55-minute walk away. — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026 Founded by a former lawyer turned bookseller and Pasadena native Dan Whitmore, the store is doing brisk business among a younger clientele that still values the tactile pleasures to be found from beautiful books. — Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026 Pick up apple cider donuts at Breeze Hill Farm before taking a brisk trek through any one of North Fork’s idyllic nature preserves—Orient Beach State Park, Sound View Dunes Park, and Laurel Lake Preserve are some of our favorites. — Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Aug. 2026 Quince’s cotton cashmere cardigan is ideal for chilly plane cabins and brisk evenings, and can easily be tied around your shoulders when the weather warms up. — Tanya Sharma, PEOPLE, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for brisk

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

probably modification of Middle French brusque

Verb

verbal derivative of brisk entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1560, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1598, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of brisk was in 1560

Rhymes for brisk

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Browse Nearby Words

brisé volé
brisk
brisken
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Brisk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brisk. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

brisk

adjective
ˈbrisk
1
: very active or alert : lively
2
: very refreshing
brisk autumn weather
3
: energetic, quick
a brisk pace
briskly adverb
briskness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on brisk

Nglish: Translation of brisk for Spanish Speakers

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