verve

noun

1
a
: the spirit and enthusiasm animating artistic composition or performance : vivacity
2
archaic : special ability or talent

Examples of verve in a Sentence

She played with skill and verve.
Recent Examples on the Web The meticulous detail accumulates with a reportorial verve, each small action adding to the big picture. Chris Vognar, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2023 The eminent portraitist photographs dancers — including Misty Copeland and Chita Rivera — statically posed and mid-motion, capturing their verve in shimmering black and white. New York Times, 15 June 2023 Johnson, 27, is a strong shooter, knocking down 39.3% of his 3-pointers in his career, and brings some verve defensively as well. Detroit Free Press, 8 June 2023 Overview Driving verve ranks high on our list of priorities and the 2024 Mazda CX-30 is a small SUV that easily satisfies our desire for fun-to-drive transportation. Drew Dorian, Car and Driver, 6 June 2023 Even the songs that seem slower on record here had a verve and energy that made the music pop. Britt Julious, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2023 Lensed with verve, the camera swooping and floating, around the haunted house as the Ambriz brothers tell ghoulish cautionary tales of passions with echoes of Poe and Lovecraft. Marta Balaga, Variety, 9 June 2023 His unfettered verve and humor is much needed after the questionable first hour. Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2023 Thibaut Pinot rode his final Tour de France with his typical verve and panache, while Peter Sagan and Mark Cavendish ended their illustrious careers not with a bang but with a whimper. Kevin Draper, New York Times, 23 July 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'verve.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French, from Middle French, caprice, from Old French, word, gossip, from Vulgar Latin *verva, from Latin verba, plural of verbum word — more at word

First Known Use

1697, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of verve was in 1697

Dictionary Entries Near verve

Cite this Entry

“Verve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/verve. Accessed 27 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

verve

noun
: lively enthusiasm

More from Merriam-Webster on verve

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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