liven

verb liv·en \ ˈlī-vən \

|Updated on: 18 Jun 2018

Examples: liven in a Sentence

Definition of liven

livened; livening play \ˈlī-və-niŋ, ˈlīv-niŋ\

transitive verb

: enliven —often used with up

he … livened up the editorial page
—Current Biography

intransitive verb

: to become lively

See liven defined for English-language learners

See liven defined for kids

Examples of liven in a Sentence

He played some music to liven the atmosphere.

Recent Examples of liven from the Web

Each bar contains cleansing agents and the same ingredients that your typical bottle of shampoo calls out for specific hair types, like juniper oil to neutralize oily hair and sea salt to liven up fine hair.

— leah prinzivalli, Allure, "Lush Sold 12,000 Shampoo Bars in Just Two Days Thanks to a Viral Video," 12 June 2018
Las Vegas has Cirque du Soleil to liven things up, and Washington has Congress.

— kevin allen, USA TODAY, "Capitals and Golden Knights are unlikely Stanley Cup rivals with unique connections," 26 May 2018
Vendors, performers, and other entertainment all help liven up downtown every first Thursday of the month.

— quoron walker, Courant Community, "Imagine Main Returns For New Season," 22 May 2018
People all over the Internet are now placing plants in their showers or bathrooms to purify the air, liven up a space, and even improve the health of their potted friends.

— maria cassano, Allure, "7 Air-Purifying Shower Plants That Keep Your Bathroom Fresh," 16 May 2018
More From Mansion Musical friends nonetheless recall his ability to liven up the cerebral décor.

— j.s. marcus, WSJ, "Villa With a Musical Legacy: Pierre Boulez’s Home in Baden-Baden," 9 May 2018
You’ve probably read by now that houseplants are an easy way to liven up a space while purifying the air too.

— jenny xie, Curbed, "Where to buy plants online," 8 May 2018
With the acquisition of Story, analysts say the retail giant is hoping to liven up a tired, century-old brand.

— abha bhattarai, chicagotribune.com, "Can yoga classes help revive Macy's?," 3 May 2018
Here are 15 bulletproof, totally far-out polos that’ll liven up your wardrobe just in time for summer.

— yang-yi goh, GQ, "Your Next Polo Shirt Should Be a Bold and Trippy ’70s Throwback," 26 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'liven.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of liven

circa 1628

in the meaning defined at transitive sense

See Words from the same year

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LIVEN Defined for English Language Learners

liven

verb

Definition of liven for English Language Learners

: to make (something) more lively, interesting, or exciting
: to become more lively, interesting, or exciting

LIVEN Defined for Kids

liven

verb liv·en \ ˈlī-vən \

Definition of liven for Students

livened; livening

: to make or become lively

Hint: Liven is often used with up. He knows how to liven up a meeting.

Learn More about liven

Spanish Central: Translation of liven Nglish: Translation of liven for Spanish speakers

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liven

Definition of liven

Examples of liven in a Sentence

Recent Examples of liven from the Web

First Known Use of liven

LIVEN Defined for English Language Learners

liven

Definition of liven for English Language Learners

LIVEN Defined for Kids

liven

Definition of liven for Students

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