verve

noun

1
a
: the spirit and enthusiasm animating artistic composition or performance : vivacity
2
archaic : special ability or talent

Examples of verve in a Sentence

She played with skill and verve.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In a story told with verve, Sands chronicles 40 years of efforts to restore the Chagos island archipelago to Mauritius from the United Kingdom. Foreign Affairs, 8 Dec. 2024 Maybe Happy Ending showed some verve, jumping $116,215 over the previous week to $707,628 and filling 88% of seats at the Belasco. Greg Evans, Deadline, 3 Dec. 2024 The French maison makes gorgeous options with angled ends for extra verve, whether hanging loose or more discreetly knotted. Tom Stubbs, Robb Report, 30 Nov. 2024 The verve of moment and color translate into bold strokes that unravel grand narratives of social history. Emiliano Tahui Gómez, Austin American-Statesman, 16 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for verve 

Word History

Etymology

French, from Middle French, caprice, from Old French, word, gossip, from Vulgar Latin *verva, from Latin verba, plural of verbum word — more at word

First Known Use

1697, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of verve was in 1697

Dictionary Entries Near verve

Cite this Entry

“Verve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/verve. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

verve

noun
: lively enthusiasm

More from Merriam-Webster on verve

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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