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.
People of that age are not going to have the verve or the vigour to make a lot of noise. Simon Johnson, The Athletic, 23 Feb. 2025 Questlove and Rodriguez illustrate all that while also lovingly conveying a massive amount of history with concision and verve. Jen Chaney, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2025 This switch has given PSG a fresh attacking verve and resulted in a more balanced unit. Elias Burke, The Athletic, 11 Feb. 2025 In reality, Beyoncé crafted the album with so much verve that there really isn’t a way for Cowboy Carter to not be the ultimate hoedown. Kyle Denis, Billboard, 3 Feb. 2025 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

Cite this Entry

“Verve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/verve. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

verve

noun
: lively enthusiasm

More from Merriam-Webster on verve

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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