liven
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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livensimple
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livenssimple
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have livenedperfect
-
has livenedperfect
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am liveningprogressive
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are liveningprogressive
-
is liveningprogressive
-
have been liveningperfect progressive
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has been liveningperfect progressive
Past
-
livenedsimple
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had livenedperfect
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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:
And frankly, the game was so insipid that it needed something – or someone – to liven it up.
From BBC ● Mar. 31, 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
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
"It livens up food, gives it flavour, it makes it come alive."
From BBC ● Mar. 29, 2023
It livens up the whole shebang and really makes the soup, truthfully.
From Salon ● Feb. 19, 2023
The mass start event, which first appeared at the 2018 Olympics, livens things up significantly.
From New York Times ● Feb. 18, 2022
Next, a little cup of brown sauce livens the stir-fry with oyster sauce, Japanese Worcestershire, sugar and vinegar.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 30, 2020
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
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
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
The reunion with Yamamoto – who left Soundgarden around 1989 -- for the Rock Hall show went a long way to livening the festivities.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 9, 2025
But it is certainly livening up what had threatened to be a predictable affair.
From BBC ● Apr. 14, 2024
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
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
He stared into the livening fire, and tried to stop himself crying.
From "I'm the King of the Castle" by Susan Hill
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.
