lively
Americanadjective
-
livelier,
comparative
-
liveliest
superlative
-
full or suggestive of life or vital energy; active, vigorous, or brisk.
a lively discussion.
-
animated, spirited, vivacious, or sprightly.
a lively tune; a lively wit.
-
eventful, stirring, or exciting.
The opposition gave us a lively time.
-
bustling with activity; astir.
The marketplace was lively with vendors.
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strong, keen, or distinct; vivid.
a lively recollection.
-
striking, telling, or effective, as an expression or instance.
-
vivid or bright, as color or light.
a lively pink.
- Antonyms:
- dim
-
sparkling, as wines.
-
fresh or invigorating, as air.
a lively breeze.
-
rebounding quickly; springing back; resilient.
a lively tennis ball.
-
riding the sea buoyantly, as a ship.
adverb
adjective
-
full of life or vigour
-
vivacious or animated, esp when in company
-
busy; eventful
-
characterized by mental or emotional intensity; vivid
-
having a striking effect on the mind or senses
-
refreshing
a lively breeze
-
springy or bouncy or encouraging springiness
a lively ball
-
(of a boat or ship) readily responsive to the helm
adverb
-
in a brisk manner
step lively
-
(interjection) make haste
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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livelinessnoun
-
overlivelinessnoun
-
unlivelinessnoun
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overlivelyadjective
-
unlivelyadjective
-
livelilyadverb
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of lively
First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English līflīc “vital”; see life, -ly
Explanation
If you’re feeling lively, you might whistle a tune, go for a brisk jog, or strike up an amusing conversation. Lively means "active, spirited, and energetic." Lively is an adjective derived from the noun "life," and it basically means "full of life." A lively party is exciting and entertaining. A lively person has an energetic personality, is always on alert, and prefers being active as opposed to just hanging around. Note that a "lively discussion" isn’t necessarily a happy discussion; it could be a spirited or even heated conversation where all parties are actively involved. Lively means the opposite of sluggish or dull.
Vocabulary lists containing lively
Mr. Popper’s Penguins
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List 2
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"One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia, List 2
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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.
See Examples For:
Archaeologists have found pieces of Greek pottery, as well as rooms and large jars for storing goods from the harbour, discoveries that Karam said showed the ancient city's "lively commercial activity".
From Barron's ● Aug. 29, 2026
Helped by lively English pitches, Robinson has been able to concentrate on his greatest skill - his control of line and length.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
Keeping Beethoven lively will be her mission as Bonn and the world mark the 200th anniversary of Beethoven’s death in 2027.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026
When you’re looking at a thread of social media bots sharing the same five replies to AI-generated slapfights between anthropomorphic fruits, it can be hard to remember the internet used to be a lively place.
From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2026
“She must be very lively, and have hazle eyes. I care for nothing else. I shall go abroad for a couple of years—and when I return, I shall come to you for my wife. Remember.”
From "Emma" by Jane Austen
With Conan O’Brien returning as host in 2026, the ceremony was much in the spirit of his first go in 2025, except this was all in all a livelier, funnier show.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 16, 2026
A state-run news portal credited a Li essay with shaping Xi’s views on improving the party’s public messaging through livelier language.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 31, 2026
It was livelier now, but it seemed certain that no one would get hired today.
From Slate ● Jan. 27, 2026
Japan looked livelier in the second half and Takeuchi scored their first try in the 52nd minute after a period of pressure.
From Barron's ● Oct. 25, 2025
She looked a little bit like a Saint Bernard that just lost its keg, but since she agreed to work on this, she’s gotten a little livelier and more opinionated.
From "The Pigman" by Paul Zindel
Welcome to Lukyanivka, one of the most heavily bombed neighborhoods in Ukraine’s capital city, but still one of the liveliest.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
I find that playwrights are often at their liveliest when writing in a presentational mood.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 8, 2025
Black Friday—the nickname for the day after Thanksgiving—may be an unofficial holiday, but it has earned the reputation of being one of the liveliest shopping days of the year.
From Barron's ● Nov. 28, 2025
The setting is momentous not just for Mr Kukoyi - a native of Nigeria's biggest and liveliest city Lagos - but for the show too.
From BBC ● May 10, 2025
Although demographic shifts were a normal part of life in America at the time, the population swell experienced by the North End made it one of the busiest and liveliest places in the nation.
From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
