leaven
noun
a substance, as yeast or baking powder, that causes fermentation and expansion of dough or batter.
leavened
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past participleof leaven.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
-
past tense formof leaven.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
leavennouna substance, as yeast or baking powder, that causes fermentation and expansion of dough or batter.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The 65-year-old came to court in downtown Los Angeles for closing arguments this month in one of the biggest trials of his career, armed with a parable of leavened bread.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 28, 2026
The series largely belongs to them — both actors are terrific, Shannon imbuing Garfield with a gravity leavened with kindness and humor, Macfadyen’s Guiteau, optimistically dedicated to his delusions yet always about to pop.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2025
And the clattering syncopated loop that repeats through “Oblivion” is there mostly as a contrast to the wispy and diaphanous vocals, which are so thin and leavened with reverb that they threaten to float away.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2025
What you might recognize as a modern-style fruitcake – a moist, leavened dessert studded with fruits and nuts – was probably first baked in the early Middle Ages in Europe.
From Salon ● Dec. 17, 2024
The guilt she feels at Gogol’s deflated expression is leavened by common sense.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
