How to Use liven in a Sentence

liven

verb
Definition of livennext
  • Bright yellow and electric blue liven up the snow-white slopes.
    — Todd Plummer, Harper's BAZAAR, 31 Oct. 2019
  • Amal Clooney always knows how to liven up a drab workday.
    — Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 4 Nov. 2019
  • An arugula salad with fennel and lemon needed to be livened up somehow (perhaps a touch of that aged balsamic?).
    — Rand Richards Cooper, courant.com, 25 Oct. 2019
  • The occasional leftover from-scratch baked good — scones and muffins primarily — livened things up.
    — Washington Post, 30 Dec. 2019
  • Considering your favorite things will almost certainly liven up the end of your year.
    — Dan Kopf, Quartz, 29 Dec. 2019
  • Could the ridiculousness of this new version of Phaedra liven the show up enough to fill the space of Quad’s absence?
    — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 14 Jan. 2024
  • Anthony’s stylist bedazzled the plait in sparkly Kitsch bobby pins, proving that hair jewelry can liven up any look.
    — Jennifer Ford, Essence, 17 Oct. 2019
  • The overall ambience is commensurate with its price, although two-tone touches throughout the cabin liven the mournful black mood.
    — Larry Printz, chicagotribune.com, 6 Dec. 2019
  • Tea Towel/Dish Towels: One of the easiest and least expensive ways to liven up the space.
    — NBC News, 28 Oct. 2019
  • Since they can be made in advance (refrigerate unfilled crepes several days or freeze for up to two months), crepes also are an easy dessert to liven often harried holiday meals.
    — Eric Velasco, al, 26 Dec. 2019
  • On the ensuing possession, Brighton livened things up with a 58-yard run by Sheldon Riley to the Davison 4-yard line.
    — Tom Lang, Detroit Free Press, 30 Nov. 2019
  • Textures: Look for opportunities to add upholstery, containers, plants and fresh flowers to liven up the visual energy.
    — oregonlive, 21 Nov. 2019
  • Unexpected color combinations—pale pink, creamsicle orange, dark mustard yellow—liven up the white-walled bedroom.
    — Emma Bazilian, House Beautiful, 19 Dec. 2019
  • Big band jazz from the Marines and Navy bands livened the spirits amid the dark clouds.
    — Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 1 Apr. 2024
  • In the winter, the city plants pansies to liven up the half-mile walk around the lake.
    — Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 17 June 2023
  • The dressing is livened up with the addition of the zest and juice of a lemon and chopped fresh tarragon.
    — Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 11 Aug. 2023
  • Here, shop the best indoor trees to help liven up your space.
    — Rachel Besser, Vogue, 9 Mar. 2021
  • Will these steps liven up the show, or give it an aura of flop sweat?
    — oregonlive, 8 Mar. 2022
  • But bold blues aren't the only thing livening up rooms throughout the home.
    — Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Dec. 2023
  • Cilantro: Adds color and freshness that livens up the smoky salsa.
    — Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2023
  • Vivid spice and leather notes liven up its soft fruit bouquet.
    — Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 13 Feb. 2024
  • At their wedding, Meghan walked herself down the aisle and livened up the proceedings with a gospel choir.
    — Karla Adam, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Jan. 2020
  • This comes in grey, black, white, or a vibrant red to liven up your storage.
    — Chris Hachey, BGR, 14 June 2021
  • So there’s no need to splurge on all-new furniture to liven things up.
    — Vogue, 10 Nov. 2021
  • The breadth of styles currently available is meant to liven your look up a bit too.
    — Vogue, 14 May 2022
  • This adorable fall wreath will liven up your front door from the first sign of fall through Thanksgiving.
    — Megan Stein, Peoplemag, 12 Oct. 2022
  • The listing suggests adding a stage to host concerts and plays to liven up the venue during the movie season.
    — Detroit Free Press, 28 Feb. 2024
  • Another approach could be to eat the right foods to liven up the bedroom.
    — Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 13 Oct. 2022
  • The urge to find something to liven up the home front is all too understandable these days.
    — Vogue, 29 May 2021
  • Sydney’s also sells 5-inch mini pies and the mix-and-match four packs of minis will liven up any event.
    — Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 14 Mar. 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'liven.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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