Synonyms

liven

American

[lahy-vuhn] / ˈlaɪ vən /

verb (used with object)

to put life into; rouse; enliven; cheer (often followed byup ).

What can we do to liven up the party?

verb (used without object)

to become more lively; brighten (usually followed byup ).

If this party doesn't liven up soon, let's leave.

liven British

/ ˈlaɪvən /

verb

(usually foll by up) to make or become lively; enliven

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

livener

noun

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.

Liven up your day sipping on premium chai, made in Seattle with freshly ground spices and good strong tea.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 16, 2023

"It took a whole weekend away from us," said Anthony Navarro, founder of Liven It Up Events.

From Reuters • May 17, 2012

Liven It Up While it takes more effort to tend baits this way, the results are worth it.

From Time Magazine Archive

“You there! Fourth from the end, chappie! Liven your ideas up, laddie buck. That’s the third time you’ve spilled a basket of soil. Here let me show you how.”

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques

Liven him up a bit, poor old man.

From Eli's Children The Chronicles of an Unhappy Family by Fenn, George Manville

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023