come alive
idiom
1
: to become excited and filled with energy
The crowd came alive when the singer appeared on stage.
2
: to become filled with activity
This neighborhood is quiet during the day, but it comes alive at night.
3
: to become exciting or appealing
In her kitchen, Italian food comes alive.
Examples of come alive in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For Almqvist, af Klint became the magnifying glass through which a remote age could come alive.
—
Alice Gregory, New Yorker, 16 Nov. 2025
The streets of Old Town Alexandria come alive with tartan and bagpipes during the traditional Scottish Christmas Walk Parade.
—Madeline Weinfield, Travel + Leisure, 14 Nov. 2025
Would love to have those explosive plays come alive.
—Charlotte Observer, 12 Nov. 2025
First, rather than slapping a latex mask and makeup on Schuster-Koloamatangi, performance capture technology is used to have Dek’s face come alive with the actor’s expressions.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for come alive
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Alice Gregory, New Yorker, 16 Nov. 2025
The streets of Old Town Alexandria come alive with tartan and bagpipes during the traditional Scottish Christmas Walk Parade.
—Madeline Weinfield, Travel + Leisure, 14 Nov. 2025
Would love to have those explosive plays come alive.
—Charlotte Observer, 12 Nov. 2025
First, rather than slapping a latex mask and makeup on Schuster-Koloamatangi, performance capture technology is used to have Dek’s face come alive with the actor’s expressions.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for come alive
Cite this Entry
“Come alive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/come%20alive. Accessed 25 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share