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
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
There's the Vanilla Tincture India, vanilla derived from a CO2 extraction, vanilla extract, and an ultra-vanille accord—all enlivened by jasmine, sandalwood, and ambery notes.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 30 May 2025
Inasmuch as emotional arcs are pitched toward the extreme, domestic and work settings are sketched with a keen anecdotal eye and enlivened with compelling details.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 22 May 2025
Idiomatic ornaments enlivened the repeat sections; these had a particularly exhilarating impact in Variation 5, amid sixteenth notes of already breathtaking effortlessness.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
One Stop Enfield in Enfield, CT $16M CT apartment project would enliven nearly empty building.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for enliven
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Kiana Murden, Vogue, 30 May 2025
Inasmuch as emotional arcs are pitched toward the extreme, domestic and work settings are sketched with a keen anecdotal eye and enlivened with compelling details.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 22 May 2025
Idiomatic ornaments enlivened the repeat sections; these had a particularly exhilarating impact in Variation 5, amid sixteenth notes of already breathtaking effortlessness.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
One Stop Enfield in Enfield, CT $16M CT apartment project would enliven nearly empty building.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for enliven
Cite this Entry
“Enliven.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enliven. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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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