enliven
verb
en·liv·en
in-ˈlī-vən 
en-
enlivened; enlivening; enlivens
: to give life, action, or spirit to : animate
fresh flowers enliven the room
enlivenment
in-ˈlī-vən-mənt
noun
en-
plural enlivenments
But for the formation of opinion, for the stirring and enlivenment of thought, and for the discernment of colour and proportion, the gifts of travel … are priceless
—
Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Examples of enliven in a Sentence
He enlivened his speech with a few jokes.
a soup enlivened by chili peppers
A few touches of color will enliven the room.
Recent Examples on the Web
The album opens with droning, distorted guitars, a funereal chug enlivened by unexpectedly gargantuan drums.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 18 Mar. 2026
That means choosing the right performers for the right parts, searching for the kind of chemistry that will enliven a film while sifting through scores of fresh, unheralded talent.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
Up top, the actress wore a crisp white button-up enlivened with a long cream fringe scarf.
—Kelsey Stewart, Footwear News, 13 Mar. 2026
If Hibino was responsible for translating kabuki’s visual language onto the film actors’ faces, veteran craftsman Tadashi Nishimatsu faced an equally demanding task recreating the elaborate wigs that complete and enliven the iconic stage aesthetic.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for enliven
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Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 18 Mar. 2026
That means choosing the right performers for the right parts, searching for the kind of chemistry that will enliven a film while sifting through scores of fresh, unheralded talent.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
Up top, the actress wore a crisp white button-up enlivened with a long cream fringe scarf.
—Kelsey Stewart, Footwear News, 13 Mar. 2026
If Hibino was responsible for translating kabuki’s visual language onto the film actors’ faces, veteran craftsman Tadashi Nishimatsu faced an equally demanding task recreating the elaborate wigs that complete and enliven the iconic stage aesthetic.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for enliven
Cite this Entry
“Enliven.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enliven. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
enliven
verb
en·liv·en
in-ˈlī-vən
: to give life, action, or spirit to : animate
enliven the party with dance music
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