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
-
have livenedperfect
-
has livenedperfect
-
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’s also brought cookies and bottles of water to houses to liven things up.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026
So, I decided to liven the dressing room up and picked on my captain Ryan Shawcross, who - by the way - had been absolutely outstanding that half.
From BBC ● Feb. 13, 2026
Fresh faces with breakout performances can liven things up for you, or you can tune in for the comforts of veterans like Kathy Bates or Harrison Ford.
From Salon ● Dec. 20, 2024
A karaoke machine is brought out to liven things up.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 8, 2024
Maybe, I thought, I could sprinkle some cocoa powder on it, or stir in some honey, just to liven the flavor.
From "The Book of Unknown Americans" by Cristina Henríquez
“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
“He livens up the mood. He can be very serious at times, but the way he comes off is passive,” Bernard said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 31, 2022
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
Xander Bogaerts livened up a San Diego lineup that already included sluggers Manny Machado, Juan Soto and the suspended Fernando Tatis Jr.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 29, 2023
Bread and butter was livened up with a variety of meat and fish pastes, and jelly was teamed with custard to make trifle.
From BBC ● Jun. 3, 2022
When she landed on the rhythm and bass of hip-hop, Genie livened up and started nodding his head.
From "As Brave As You" by Jason Reynolds
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
In 1964, the Brothers recruited a young Jimi Hendrix to their line-up, with his guitar work livening up hits like Testify before he left to go solo.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2023
The anise-y, licorice-forward notes were refreshing and livening.
From Salon ● Mar. 11, 2023
Waller-Bridge is in high demand, epitomised by her recent engagement livening up the script for the forthcoming as-yet-untitled 25th James Bond film at the request of its star, Daniel Craig.
From The Guardian ● Aug. 14, 2019
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
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
