liven

verb

liv·​en ˈlī-vən How to pronounce liven (audio)
livened; livening ˈlī-və-niŋ How to pronounce liven (audio)
ˈlīv-niŋ

transitive verb

: enliven
often used with up
he … livened up the editorial pageCurrent Biography

Examples of liven in a Sentence

He played some music to liven the atmosphere.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Not even Julianne Moore and an impossibly young Vince Vaughn can liven this up much. Tim Grierson, Vulture, 3 July 2025 Jodie Sweetin revealed that Coulier likes to liven things up via group text much like his character livened things up in the Tanner household during the beloved sitcom's run in the '90s. Mekishana Pierre Published, EW.com, 10 June 2025 Jesse Cole was a former pitcher at Wofford College in Spartanburg who also took theater there and thought all ballparks could be livened up. Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 4 June 2025 The mandatory two-stop rule introduced in Monaco to liven up the event failed to do the trick, leaving drivers and team principals disgruntled at the processional nature of the race. Dan Cancian, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for liven

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1628, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of liven was circa 1628

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Liven.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liven. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

liven

verb
liv·​en ˈlī-vən How to pronounce liven (audio)
livened; livening ˈlīv-(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce liven (audio)
: to make or become lively
often used with up

More from Merriam-Webster on liven

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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