livened; livening
ˈlī-və-niŋ 
ˈlīv-niŋ
: enliven
—often used with up
he … livened up the editorial page—
Current Biography
Current Biography
: to become lively
Synonyms
Examples of liven in a Sentence
He played some music to liven the atmosphere.
Recent Examples on the Web
Big band jazz from the Marines and Navy bands livened the spirits amid the dark clouds.
—Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 1 Apr. 2024
Barnyard Designs Indoor Herb Garden Planter Set $30 $20
Come spring, florals and a little greenery (real or otherwise) really livens up your home and gets it ready for the season ahead.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Southern Living, 22 Mar. 2024
Every Sunday through July 4, the symphony will liven up the SouthPark area with fun summer concerts.
—Samantha Sabin -, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024
Montana countered those deep thoughts by recalling how Simpson and teammate Al Cowlings helped liven up the locker room, even amid an 0-7 start to that 1979 season.
—Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 11 Apr. 2024
Eventually that season, the atmosphere livened up with cardboard cutouts in the seats.
—Billy Witz, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2024
Sydney’s also sells 5-inch mini pies and the mix-and-match four packs of minis will liven up any event.
—Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 18 Feb. 2024
So grab a quart and see how these buttermilk recipes can liven up your menu and add delight to your table.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 20 Mar. 2024
Baltimore hired artists to liven up curb extensions with geometric shapes and vibrant colors.
—Jeff McMurray, Fortune, 2 Mar. 2024
Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 1 Apr. 2024
Barnyard Designs Indoor Herb Garden Planter Set $30 $20
Come spring, florals and a little greenery (real or otherwise) really livens up your home and gets it ready for the season ahead.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Southern Living, 22 Mar. 2024
Every Sunday through July 4, the symphony will liven up the SouthPark area with fun summer concerts.
—Samantha Sabin -, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024
Montana countered those deep thoughts by recalling how Simpson and teammate Al Cowlings helped liven up the locker room, even amid an 0-7 start to that 1979 season.
—Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 11 Apr. 2024
Eventually that season, the atmosphere livened up with cardboard cutouts in the seats.
—Billy Witz, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2024
Sydney’s also sells 5-inch mini pies and the mix-and-match four packs of minis will liven up any event.
—Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 18 Feb. 2024
So grab a quart and see how these buttermilk recipes can liven up your menu and add delight to your table.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 20 Mar. 2024
Baltimore hired artists to liven up curb extensions with geometric shapes and vibrant colors.
—Jeff McMurray, Fortune, 2 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'liven.' 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 liven
Cite this Entry
“Liven.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liven. Accessed 2 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
liven
verb
liv·en
ˈlī-vən
livened; livening
ˈlīv-(ə-)niŋ
: to make or become lively
—often used with up
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