leaven

1 of 2

noun

leav·​en ˈle-vən 

1

a

: a substance (such as yeast) used to produce fermentation in dough or a liquid

especially : sourdough

b

: a material (such as baking powder) used to produce a gas that lightens dough or batter

2

: something that modifies or lightens

leaven

2 of 2

verb

leavened; leavening ˈle-və-niŋ 

ˈlev-niŋ

transitive verb

1

: to raise (something, such as bread) with a leaven

2

: to mingle or permeate with some modifying, alleviating, or vivifying element

especially : lighten

a sermon leavened with humor

Choose the Right Synonym for leaven

infuse, suffuse, imbue, ingrain, inoculate, leaven mean to introduce one thing into another so as to affect it throughout.

infuse implies a pouring in of something that gives new life or significance.

new members infused enthusiasm into the club

suffuse implies a spreading through of something that gives an unusual color or quality.

a room suffused with light

imbue implies the introduction of a quality that fills and permeates the whole being.

imbue students with intellectual curiosity

ingrain, used only in the passive or past participle, suggests the deep implanting of a quality or trait.

clung to ingrained habits

inoculate implies an imbuing or implanting with a germinal idea and often suggests stealth or subtlety.

an electorate inoculated with dangerous ideas

leaven implies introducing something that enlivens, tempers, or markedly alters the total quality.

a serious play leavened with comic moments

Examples of leaven in a Sentence

Noun

a serious book that includes a few humorous stories as leaven

Verb

He needs to leaven his speeches with more humor.

using yeast to leaven the dough

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Lives are literally on the line in Vivian Qu’s genre hybrid Girls on Wire, a surprisingly gritty study of people left behind or living in the margins that fuses gangster realism with social drama and leavens both with a dash of unexpected humor. —Damon Wise, Deadline, 18 Feb. 2025

Today, 3,000 years later, those who practice Passover attend a meal ritual known as Seder in homes, avoiding leaven, and retell that Exodus story. —Irene Richardson, Country Living, 12 Mar. 2023

Verb

That said, the thrill of power is only really exciting when leavened with a little friction. —Alan Bradley, ArsTechnica, 17 Apr. 2025

Amazon Basics Digital Kitchen Scale $14 $10 at Amazon The digital food scale can accurately weigh items as heavy as 11 pounds or 5,000 grams and as light as 2 grams, registering even small additions like leavening ingredients. —Maggie Horton, People.com, 18 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English levain, from Anglo-French levein, from Vulgar Latin *levamen, from Latin levare to raise — more at lever

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for leaven

• heaven
• levan
• levin
• seven
• sevin
• eleven
• replevin

Kids Definition

leaven

1 of 2 noun

leav·​en ˈlev-ən 

1

a

: a substance (as yeast) used to produce a gaseous fermentation (as in dough)

b

: a material (as baking powder) used to produce a gas that makes dough or batter rise and become light

2

: something that changes slightly or lightens a mass or whole

leaven

2 of 2 verb

leavened; leavening ˈlev-(ə-)niŋ 

1

: to raise (dough) with a leaven

2

: to mix or spread throughout with leaven