liven
Americanverb (used with object)
-
livens,
present (3rd person singular)
-
livened,
past participle, past
-
livening
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
livens,
present (3rd person singular)
-
livened,
past participle, past
-
livening
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
livensimple
-
livenssimple
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have livenedperfect
-
has livenedperfect
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am liveningprogressive
-
are liveningprogressive
-
is liveningprogressive
-
have been liveningperfect progressive
-
has been liveningperfect progressive
Past
-
livenedsimple
-
had livenedperfect
-
was liveningprogressive
-
were liveningprogressive
-
had been liveningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of liven
First recorded in 1880–85; aphetic variant of enliven
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:
He has vowed to liven up proceedings, saying during a hustings event that chamber business had become "dull".
From BBC ● May 14, 2026
Pecans add crunch and texture to soups, walnuts liven up pasta dishes and Marcona almonds bring a buttery, salty note to verdant salads.
From Salon ● Mar. 31, 2025
Some people even threw in extra theatrics and party favors to liven up their pitch.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2024
The Bridge Keepers supporters group led chants, banged drums and blew horns to liven the atmosphere.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 20, 2024
“Some would say they liven up a party too much.”
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
“This magical place livens conversation as well as appreciation of the countryside and Northern California artists from the past century to the current,” Scarff, who lives in Sonoma, wrote.
From New York Times ● Apr. 28, 2023
"It livens up food, gives it flavour, it makes it come alive."
From BBC ● Mar. 29, 2023
The newer ride is an adorable, video-game like animated romp with cartoon critters and lots of pies — a respectful and nostalgic 2021 endeavor that livens up the park by celebrating its history.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 13, 2023
It's not the same as a night under the Arizona stars, but it absolutely livens up a dreary spring evening.
From Salon ● Apr. 17, 2022
She livens up again like I didn’t just ruin her reveal.
From "Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish" by Pablo Cartaya
Eventually that season, the atmosphere livened up with cardboard cutouts in the seats.
From New York Times ● Apr. 2, 2024
The addition of a single word, though admittedly anachronistic, might have livened things up and drawn in a whole new cohort of readers.
From Slate ● Nov. 20, 2023
Things livened up when Chalamet performed one of his character’s terrible raps, but it was a slog compared to last week’s similarly themed and much sharper “Chef Show” with Nate Bargatze.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 12, 2023
Over the years, WET has livened many plays with interesting premises and conceptual big swings that don’t always land.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 12, 2023
Personally, she had a suspicion that the Professor was just going to give back all their stuff, but as Toby said, there’s nothing like keeping things livened up.
From "The Egypt Game" by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
On her visits, Bonda noticed that the bare cinderblock wall along the patio could use some livening up.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 27, 2026
The atmosphere inside Old Trafford is livening up.
From BBC ● Apr. 6, 2024
The Motet’s music has been livening up dance floors for over two decades, with songs that are unrelenting in their pursuit to make listeners move.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 30, 2022
Whether we're talking about livening up avocado toast, grain bowls, and eggs, or just using the condiment to add heat to marinades and dips, there's nothing better than hot sauce.
From Salon ● Mar. 13, 2022
But there, in the Conqueror’s tower, a constant ebb and flow of cockneys would be livening the frost.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
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.
