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.
Below are 2023 French Bordeaux and one Armenian rosé wines, as well as one Bordeaux white to consider for livening up a spring terrace lunch or porch dinner. Tom Mullen, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025 Ramsey is partial to crisp, masculine tailoring with unexpected twists—an electric-blue watch to liven up a dark suit here, a flash of white winged eyeliner there—and always in a way that bucks the ultra-preened look of their co-stars. Zing Tsjeng, Vogue, 11 Apr. 2025 Cutting-edge visual effects create a world of talking photorealistic animals that might as well be a nature documentary, and attention is paid to livening up the humor, with Billy Eichner’s funny, overdramatic meerkat Timon showing up everybody, including Beyoncé. 9. Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2025 The herb once relegated to savory cooking has begun popping up in cocktails, as more bartenders enlist its unique flavor to liven up recipes. Kevin Gray, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Liven.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liven. Accessed 2 May. 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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