livened; livening
ˈlī-və-niŋ 
ˈlīv-niŋ
: enliven
—often used with up
he … livened up the editorial page—
Current Biography
Current Biography
: to become lively
Examples of liven in a Sentence
He played some music to liven the atmosphere.
Recent Examples on the Web
Incorporate colors that liven up the kitchen without feeling overwhelming.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Oct. 2025
Instead, Mayfield livened up the home crowd with a 15-yard scramble on third-and-14 with four-and-a-half minutes left in the third.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
Add fresh or dried (unsweetened) cranberries to oatmeal, trail mix, or roasted vegetable dishes for a pop of color and tang that livens up any fall plate.
—Lauren Panoff, Verywell Health, 3 Oct. 2025
But, again, a few more fireworks might liven things up.
—Richard Lawson, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for liven
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Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Oct. 2025
Instead, Mayfield livened up the home crowd with a 15-yard scramble on third-and-14 with four-and-a-half minutes left in the third.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
Add fresh or dried (unsweetened) cranberries to oatmeal, trail mix, or roasted vegetable dishes for a pop of color and tang that livens up any fall plate.
—Lauren Panoff, Verywell Health, 3 Oct. 2025
But, again, a few more fireworks might liven things up.
—Richard Lawson, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for liven
Cite this Entry
“Liven.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liven. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
liven
verb
liv·en
ˈlī-vən
livened; livening
ˈlīv-(ə-)niŋ
: to make or become lively
—often used with up
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