Synonyms of enliven

enliven

verb

in-ˈlī-vən 

as in to stimulate

to give life, vigor, or spirit to

in most instances it's a good idea to enliven a speech with a joke or two

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stimulate
• arouse
• invigorate
• energize
• animate
• vitalize
• stir
• vivify
• electrify
• provoke
• awaken
• inspire
• excite
• quicken
• activate
• revive
• strengthen
• cheer
• motivate
• jump-start
• recreate
• drive
• jazz (up)
• rouse
• propel
• spark
• lift
• liven (up)
• zip (up)
• brace
• fire
• trigger
• spike
• raise
• motive
• awake
• amp (up)
• boost
• rally
• fillip
• refresh
• pep (up)
• move
• charge
• resurrect
• juice up
• renew
• impel
• galvanize
• wake (up)
• infuse
• ginger (up)
• actuate
• incite
• reinvigorate
• revitalize
• inflame
• foment
• fortify
• embolden
• set off
• rejuvenate
• instigate
• hearten
• rekindle
• reawaken
• buoy
• regenerate
• ferment
• kindle
• reactivate
• enflame
• reanimate
• whip (up)
• abet
• resuscitate
• enkindle
• turn on
• steel
• reenergize
• recharge
• refreshen
• restimulate
• reawake

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dull
• dampen
• kill
• deaden
• undermine
• damp
• weaken
• weary
• wear
• harass
• drain
• debilitate
• restrain
• inhibit
• exhaust
• enfeeble
• wear out
• burn out
• suppress
• slow
• knock out
• sap
• curb
• check
• wash out
• enervate
• fatigue
• quell
• quench
• do in
• repress
• discourage
• still
• stunt
• demoralize
• daunt
• tucker (out)
• dishearten
• fag
• kayo
• dispirit
• jade

Synonym Chooser

How is the word enliven distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of enliven are animate, quicken, and vivify. While all these words mean "to make alive or lively," enliven suggests a stimulus that arouses from dullness or torpidity.

enlivened her lectures with humorous anecdotes

When might animate be a better fit than enliven?

While in some cases nearly identical to enliven, animate emphasizes the imparting of motion or vitality to what is or might be mechanical or artificial.

happiness animated his conversation

When is quicken a more appropriate choice than enliven?

In some situations, the words quicken and enliven are roughly equivalent. However, quicken stresses a sudden renewal of life or activity especially in something inert.

the arrival of spring quickens the earth

Where would vivify be a reasonable alternative to enliven?

The meanings of vivify and enliven largely overlap; however, vivify implies a freshening or energizing through renewal of vitality.

new blood needed to vivify the dying club

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of enliven

Barry Jenkins’s best efforts to enliven the Lion King prequel, Mufasa, couldn’t prevent it from feeling like a capital-p Product. —Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 19 Mar. 2025

Black remained a powerful statement color across brands’ collections, but is frequently enlivened with unexpected pops of vibrant hues. —Angela Lei, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025

Bolger enlivens her traditional interiors with contemporary elements, and functionality is always a focus. —Dan Howarth, Architectural Digest, 17 Mar. 2025

Dope Thief enlivens the formula with a pair of performances from Brian Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura that plunge us into the depths of male loneliness, then pull us out of the dark with a tender, vulnerable friendship that is as gooey and soft as the show surrounding it is bleak and bloody. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2025