enliven

verb

en·​liv·​en in-ˈlī-vən 

en-

enlivened; enlivening; enlivens

transitive verb

: to give life, action, or spirit to : animate

fresh flowers enliven the room

enlivenment

in-ˈlī-vən-mənt 

en-

noun

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

Synonyms

• amp (up)
• animate
• brace
• energize
• fillip
• fire
• ginger (up)
• invigorate
• jazz (up)
• juice up
• jump-start
• liven (up)
• pep (up)
• quicken
• spike
• stimulate
• vitalize
• vivify
• zip (up)

Choose the Right Synonym for enliven

quicken, animate, enliven, vivify mean to make alive or lively.

quicken stresses a sudden renewal of life or activity especially in something inert.

the arrival of spring quickens the earth

animate emphasizes the imparting of motion or vitality to what is or might be mechanical or artificial.

happiness animated his conversation

enliven suggests a stimulus that arouses from dullness or torpidity.

enlivened her lectures with humorous anecdotes

vivify implies a freshening or energizing through renewal of vitality.

new blood needed to vivify the dying club

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

Further flocks punctuated the low simmer of solitary birds, periodically enlivening the quiet day with similar bursts of activity. —Jack Gedney, The Mercury News, 2 Dec. 2024

This recipe cooks them in an unabashed tomato sauce enlivened with preserved lemon. —Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appétit, 1 Dec. 2024

Commentary: How dancing through rain and mud helped relight the lost fire of Burning Man There were many successes — like the extravagant aerialists and fire dances who enlivened our dance floor. —Morena Duwe, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2024

Her gifts don’t lie in staking out revolutionary new comic premises but rather in enlivening familiar premises with counterintuitive perspectives and energetic delivery. —Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

enliven

verb

en·​liv·​en in-ˈlī-vən 

: to give life, action, or spirit to : animate

enliven the party with dance music