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 seltzer leavens it, enlivens it, puts room between the flavors where the room is needed most, and turns a derivative and mediocre drink into a fascinating and bizarre one.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 14 Feb. 2026
Her jokester father worked for a railway; her realtor mother was a gifted mimic whose impressions of clients enlivened family dinners.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 10 Feb. 2026
The first building in the Museum of Modern Art complex is crisp and sharp-edged, its cheery cornice-level terrace enlivened by portholes in the roof.
—Christopher Robbins, Curbed, 9 Feb. 2026
By inviting guests in after the main galleries have closed, MACAM, which opened last March, is on the vanguard of museums that are adding fresh fine-dining experiences to enliven institutions beyond what’s on the walls.
—Michelle Tchea, Travel + Leisure, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for enliven
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Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 14 Feb. 2026
Her jokester father worked for a railway; her realtor mother was a gifted mimic whose impressions of clients enlivened family dinners.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 10 Feb. 2026
The first building in the Museum of Modern Art complex is crisp and sharp-edged, its cheery cornice-level terrace enlivened by portholes in the roof.
—Christopher Robbins, Curbed, 9 Feb. 2026
By inviting guests in after the main galleries have closed, MACAM, which opened last March, is on the vanguard of museums that are adding fresh fine-dining experiences to enliven institutions beyond what’s on the walls.
—Michelle Tchea, Travel + Leisure, 6 Feb. 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 Feb. 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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