enliven
verb
en·liv·en
in-ˈlī-vən 
en-
enlivened; enlivening; enlivens
: to give life, action, or spirit to : animate
fresh flowers enliven the room
enlivenment
in-ˈlī-vən-mənt
noun
en-
plural enlivenments
But for the formation of opinion, for the stirring and enlivenment of thought, and for the discernment of colour and proportion, the gifts of travel … are priceless
—
Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Synonyms
Examples of enliven in a Sentence
He enlivened his speech with a few jokes.
a soup enlivened by chili peppers
A few touches of color will enliven the room.
Recent Examples on the Web
The parking lot designs, rigorous and formal, are enlivened by the accidental stains in the pavement organically left by cars.
—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2024
The album is full of moments like this, where the lyrical conventions of a hand-me-down genre are enlivened with genuinely personal urgency.
—Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 4 Apr. 2024
Friends read him with hilarious ferocity, serious moments are punctured by horny Grindr notifications, and the whole enterprise is enlivened by Carmichael’s quick, contrarian wit.
—Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2024
String lights and a fire pit set a cozy scene, and classic cocktails are enlivened with small tweaks: A Sazerac receives an infusion of banana liqueur ($19), and an Old Fashioned is mixed with mezcal and chocolate bitters ($18).
—Valeriya Safronova, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024
Unfortunately, such clever lines are few and far between in Jonathan Easley’s workmanlike screenplay, which is not particularly enlivened by the Nelms brothers’ sluggish direction.
—Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Feb. 2024
And after years of a food scene largely dominated by clubby steak houses, the city now boasts some of the country's most interesting and enlivening dining options.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 22 Mar. 2024
In fact, the home was inhabited quite differently by the physician and poet who commissioned it and for whom it is named: Dr. Edith Farnsworth—a lover of music and travel—enlivened her weekend house with eclectic furnishings and mementos that, in sum, were anything but minimal.
—Lauren Gallow, Robb Report, 17 Mar. 2024
Everett enjoys catching fish but is equally enlivened by the process of mimicking their prey.
—Maya Binyam, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2024
The album is full of moments like this, where the lyrical conventions of a hand-me-down genre are enlivened with genuinely personal urgency.
—Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 4 Apr. 2024
Friends read him with hilarious ferocity, serious moments are punctured by horny Grindr notifications, and the whole enterprise is enlivened by Carmichael’s quick, contrarian wit.
—Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2024
String lights and a fire pit set a cozy scene, and classic cocktails are enlivened with small tweaks: A Sazerac receives an infusion of banana liqueur ($19), and an Old Fashioned is mixed with mezcal and chocolate bitters ($18).
—Valeriya Safronova, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024
Unfortunately, such clever lines are few and far between in Jonathan Easley’s workmanlike screenplay, which is not particularly enlivened by the Nelms brothers’ sluggish direction.
—Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Feb. 2024
And after years of a food scene largely dominated by clubby steak houses, the city now boasts some of the country's most interesting and enlivening dining options.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 22 Mar. 2024
In fact, the home was inhabited quite differently by the physician and poet who commissioned it and for whom it is named: Dr. Edith Farnsworth—a lover of music and travel—enlivened her weekend house with eclectic furnishings and mementos that, in sum, were anything but minimal.
—Lauren Gallow, Robb Report, 17 Mar. 2024
Everett enjoys catching fish but is equally enlivened by the process of mimicking their prey.
—Maya Binyam, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'enliven.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near enliven
Cite this Entry
“Enliven.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enliven. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
enliven
verb
en·liv·en
in-ˈlī-vən
: to give life, action, or spirit to : animate
enliven the party with dance music
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