LEAVENING Synonyms: 37 Similar and Opposite Words

leavening

verb

Definition of leavening

present participle of leaven

as in enlivening

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for leavening

Verb

The crowds were a welcome boon for the bartenders, enlivening what is usually a lull at Joxer Daly’s, which is away from the beaches and beer gardens where customers gather in the summer.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026
The country’s multicultural nature means people rarely have to go far to find an enlivening spot to watch Italy, Croatia, Mexico and countless other national teams.

— Shelby Blackley, New York Times, 4 July 2026

Definition of enlivening

Verb

There is, of course, a chapter on tofu that shows readers how to treat it like both a hearty stew and an invigorating salad, among endless other treatments including an additional chapter on tofu skin.

— Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 29 July 2026
Making such a decision and staying true to this team’s original mission could be invigorating.

— Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 28 July 2026

Definition of invigorating

Verb

Christians with political influence have made their beliefs known in the fight to blend religion and government, including infusing more religion into public schools.

— Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026
Rock, 27, first popped up on Vine and later YouTube, infusing his short- and long-form content with humor and tons of natural charisma, and developing a significant following as an early beauty creator.

— Kara Nesvig, Time, 14 July 2026

Definition of infusing

Verb

The fresh wind of pragmatism animating the Bancarella Prize—a book fair that exposed and celebrated the consumerist dimension of the book as object—pushed the boundaries of the publishing industry beyond the niches of its traditional readership.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 July 2026
For Gilead Sciences, that disconnect between what science can do and what culture actually believes, has become the animating challenge of its corporate responsibility work.

— Ashley Lan, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2026

Definition of animating

Verb

And with the advent of AI-everything, cutouts are old-world antidotes, imbuing a cabinet with a sense of nostalgia, emphasis on craft, and cozy flair.

— Kelsey Mulvey, Architectural Digest, 27 July 2026
The condition could have been a death sentence for a young raccoon, but somehow, Jimothy has managed to thrive, his deformity imbuing him with the cutesy, cartoonish proportions of a Pokémon, or perhaps a Squishmallow.

— Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026

Definition of imbuing

Verb

Soldiers were self-inoculating without quarantine—which led to rampant rates of infection.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026
Louvered windows are opened to allow outside air in, cooling the wort and inoculating it with microbes that will magically start fermentation.

— Don Tse, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026

Definition of inoculating

Verb

After suffusing some of this lunar simulant with helium-3, Interlune will use those samples to test its extraction methods.

— Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 14 May 2026
And, yes, suffusing it all is Pelicot’s interesting unreliability—to herself above all.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 May 2026

Definition of suffusing

Verb

Meanwhile, steeping the banana peels in milk gives the topping an extra layer of banana flavor without adding extra fruit or moisture.

— Joe Sevier, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 July 2026
When her plants need a bit of extra support, Etemadipour might also add leftover tea by re-steeping tea leaves and using the second, weaker cup directly in her garden.

— Emily Hayes, Martha Stewart, 28 June 2026

Definition of steeping

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.

Browse Nearby Words

leavened

leavening

leavens

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Leavening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leavening. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of leavening

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on leavening

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

comely

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly

Popular in Wordplay

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul. 31

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes