livelier; liveliest
1
3
: full of life, movement, or incident
lively streets at carnival time
5
: imparting spirit or vivacity : stimulating
many a peer of England brews livelier liquor than the Muse—
A. E. Housman
A. E. Housman6
: quick to rebound : resilient
a lively ball
7
: responding readily to the helm
a lively boat
8
obsolete
: living
Synonyms
Examples of lively in a Sentence
a very lively writing style
The book is lively and well written.
They had a lively debate.
A lively atmosphere keeps people coming back to the café.
Recent Examples on the Web
An ensemble two or three times the size (easy for film, impossible for Broadway) would’ve filled out the stage more effectively; that said, Dominique Kelley’s lively choreography mostly covers this up.
—Christian Lewis, Variety, 26 Apr. 2024
Victoria Beckham Beauty Vast Lash Mascara $34 Violet Grey
$34
Victoria Beckham Beauty
Long lashes are the perfect cheeky compliment to your lively blush.
—Loren Savini, Allure, 25 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for lively 
Christian Lewis, Variety, 26 Apr. 2024
Victoria Beckham Beauty Vast Lash Mascara $34 Violet Grey
$34
Victoria Beckham Beauty
Long lashes are the perfect cheeky compliment to your lively blush.
—Loren Savini, Allure, 25 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for lively
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lively.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near lively
Cite this Entry
“Lively.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lively. Accessed 6 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lively
adjective
live·ly
ˈlīv-lē 
livelier; liveliest
1
: full of life : active
a lively puppy
2
: keen entry 1 sense 3
a lively interest
3
: full of spirit or feeling
a lively debate
4
: showing activity or spirit
a lively manner
liveliness
noun
lively
adverb
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share