1
as in pistols
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 powerhouses
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
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Recent Examples of live wires
Response efforts were slowed as debris blocked roads and live wires created hazardous conditions.
—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
4 July 2026
Trees and branches were taken out, and live wires went down.
—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2026
One of the brothers used a carbon-fibre pole while attempting to get the bird down and touched the live wires on the power line, killing him instantly.
—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
25 Apr. 2026
On the other hand, the Cracker Barrel debacle touched so many live wires of American politics that the story was simply irresistible.
—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
4 July 2026
Trees and branches were taken out, and live wires went down.
—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2026
One of the brothers used a carbon-fibre pole while attempting to get the bird down and touched the live wires on the power line, killing him instantly.
—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
25 Apr. 2026
On the other hand, the Cracker Barrel debacle touched so many live wires of American politics that the story was simply irresistible.
—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for live wires
Noun
-
The lawsuit targets legislation that took effect Wednesday and bans the sale of pistols that can easily be converted to fully automatic weapons, or machine guns.
-
The law goes after Glock-style pistols, which can be converted into fully-automatic machine guns.
Noun
-
All things considered, expect a blockbuster clash between these two European powerhouses.
-
One of Asia’s long-standing soccer powerhouses, Iran, faced a difficult tournament from the outset, ultimately drawing all three of its games and similarly failing to progress beyond the group stage.
Cite this Entry
“Live wires.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/live%20wires. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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