moxie

noun

mox·​ie ˈmäk-sē How to pronounce moxie (audio)
1
: energy, pep
woke up full of moxie
2
: courage, determination
it takes … moxie to pull up roots and go to a land where the culture and probably the language are totally foreignM. J. McClary
3
: know-how
was impressed with his musical moxie and hired him as a solo

Did you know?

"Hot roasted peanuts! Fresh popcorn! Ice-cold Moxie!" You might have heard such a snack vendor's cry at a baseball game—if you attended it in the early 1900s. In its heyday, some claim that the soft drink named Moxie outsold Coca-Cola. The beverage was a favorite of American writer E. B. White, who wrote, "Moxie contains gentian root, which is the path to the good life. This was known in the second century before Christ and is a boon to me today." In quick time, moxie had become a slang term for nerve and verve, perhaps because some people thought the drink was a tonic that could cure virtually any ill and bring vim back to even the most lethargic individual.

Examples of moxie in a Sentence

He showed a lot of moxie in questioning the policy. it was old-fashioned military moxie that got medical supplies to the disaster site in record time
Recent Examples on the Web Resilience, moxie, elevated emotional intelligence, and experiential learning, coupled with curiosity, eagerness to learn, and a modicum of intelligence are a solid foundation upon which to build digital talent. Mark A. Cohen, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 The Browns showed their playoff moxie in pregame by engaging in a scuffle with Samuel and others. Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2024 Touchdown celebrations are one of the ways teams can show their creativity and moxie. Victoria Hernandez, USA TODAY, 10 Jan. 2024 What skills — beyond a combination of moxie, gumption, and can-do spirit — do these racers possess that will get them to the finish line before everyone else? Dalton Ross, EW.com, 13 Sep. 2023 Sims said this was the moxie that defined her mother’s life. Petula Dvorak, Washington Post, 11 Dec. 2023 Minshew has struggled with turnovers in relief of Richardson (four interceptions in last five starts), who is out for the remainder of the season, but his moxie has rallied Indianapolis’ locker room together. Evan Sidery, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023 Robbie might be a dead-ringer for Barbie, but her moxie powers the performance. Peter Debruge, Variety, 18 July 2023 And, amid a few rarities on the set list, there was apparently the biggest rarity of all… a full-group embrace, among a quartet that hasn’t always worn its vulnerability quite so fully on its tuxedo sleeve in concert as much as its moxie. Chris Willman, Variety, 18 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'moxie.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

from Moxie, a trademark for a soft drink

First Known Use

1930, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of moxie was in 1930

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Dictionary Entries Near moxie

Cite this Entry

“Moxie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/moxie. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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