liven
verb
liv·en
| \ ˈlī-vən
\
\
livened;
livening\ ˈlī-və-niŋ
, ˈlīv-niŋ \
, ˈlīv-niŋ \
Definition of liven
: enliven
—often used with up he … livened up the editorial page — Current Biography
: to become lively
Examples of liven in a Sentence
He played some music to liven the atmosphere.
Recent Examples on the Web
For one thing, there’s very little wrestling at all until the fifth episode, when the performers decide (without consulting their befuddled producer, Bash—played by Chris Lowell) to switch roles at the last minute to liven things up. — Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, "GLOW Goes Post-plot," 8 Aug. 2019 Italy’s bid was livened by two Olympic champions, downhill skier Sofia Goggia and snowboarder Michela Moioli, doing a dab gesture and talking of their hopes to compete on home snow in almost seven years’ time. — Daniella Matar, The Denver Post, "Italy’s Milan-Cortina will host 2026 Winter Olympics," 24 June 2019 The conversations are livened up with relevant archival materials and still images by artists such as Kerry James Marshall, Jacob Lawrence, Kara Walker, and Gordon Parks. — Marella Gayla, BostonGlobe.com, "Putting together the pieces of Toni Morrison," 26 June 2019 Despite the quick foray into traffic and a couple of visits to a local restaurant, the entire film is set inside the couple’s house, where some intentionally absurdist touches liven things up. — Caryn James, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Blowing Up Right Now': Film Review," 16 June 2019 Add a Touch of Whimsy When looking to liven up a small, dark niche, unexpected color and coziness can go a long way to transform the space into something special. — Chantal Lamers, Sunset, "There’s No Home Design Problem a Banquette Can’t Solve," 22 Jan. 2018 An entertainingly scenery-chewing Richard Dreyfuss performance intermittently livens up a movie that’s otherwise fairly unremarkable. — Noel Murray, latimes.com, "Reviews for ‘Daughter of the Wolf,’ ‘Lost Angelas,’ ‘Head Count,’ ‘Killer Unicorn,’ ‘Vault’," 13 June 2019 Using the tools on Houzz.com and partnering with designer Andrea Fava from Motivo Home, Upton reimagined Christie's once-drab home, livening things up with texture and pattern. — Hadley Keller, House Beautiful, "Kate Upton Just Secretly Renovated Her Sister's Home," 10 Apr. 2019 However, its traditional fire-pit design with a classy black finish will liven up any backyard bonfire. — Paige Szmodis, Popular Mechanics, "The 10 Best Portable Fire Pits to Build a Campfire Anywhere," 6 May 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'liven.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for liven
liven
verb
English Language Learners Definition of liven
: to make (something) more lively, interesting, or exciting
: to become more lively, interesting, or exciting
See the full definition for liven in the English Language Learners Dictionary
liven
verb
liv·en
| \ ˈlī-vən
\
\
livened;
livening
Kids Definition of liven
: to make or become lively
Hint:
Liven is often used with up.
He knows how to liven up a meeting.