How to Use liven in a Sentence

liven

verb
  • He played some music to liven the atmosphere.
  • Gary tries to liven up the mood and teach them but to no avail.
    — Emma Soren, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2024
  • All the pieces have a fresh feel and are sure to liven up any room.
    — Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 28 Oct. 2024
  • At least the king of daytime sleaze could liven things up a bit.
    — Jason Williams, Cincinnati.com, 13 Sep. 2017
  • Vivid spice and leather notes liven up its soft fruit bouquet.
    — Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 13 Feb. 2024
  • Here, shop the best indoor trees to help liven up your space.
    — Rachel Besser, Vogue, 9 Mar. 2021
  • Big, bold patterns can liven up the space if done the right way.
    — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Oct. 2025
  • But, again, a few more fireworks might liven things up.
    — Richard Lawson, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Even when there was an attempt to liven things up, things went awry.
    — John Petkovic, cleveland.com, 6 Apr. 2018
  • Will these steps liven up the show, or give it an aura of flop sweat?
    — oregonlive, 8 Mar. 2022
  • Wooden cutouts are fun ways to liven up a patio wall, too.
    — Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 19 May 2026
  • This quilt is the perfect choice to liven up your bedroom.
    — Caley Sturgill, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Apr. 2026
  • This quilt is the perfect choice to liven up your bedroom.
    — Caley Sturgill, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 June 2026
  • But the true star is the check print that will liven any cocktail party.
    — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 15 May 2025
  • And these are the cutest earrings to liven up any outfit, all year round.
    — Katie Devlin, Vogue, 21 Nov. 2018
  • So there’s no need to splurge on all-new furniture to liven things up.
    — Vogue, 10 Nov. 2021
  • Bright yellow and electric blue liven up the snow-white slopes.
    — Todd Plummer, Harper's BAZAAR, 31 Oct. 2019
  • But bold blues aren't the only thing livening up rooms throughout the home.
    — Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Dec. 2023
  • Tangy undertones livened up a soup with fish, tomatoes and greens.
    — Mike Sutter, ExpressNews.com, 5 Sep. 2019
  • But adding a handful here and there will liven up your recipes in the most amazing way.
    — Josh Miller, Southern Living, 31 Aug. 2025
  • This comes in grey, black, white, or a vibrant red to liven up your storage.
    — Chris Hachey, BGR, 14 June 2021
  • This one should liven up the comments section.
    — Gary Davenport, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
  • One way to liven up a side yard is by investing in new fencing.
    — Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 10 May 2026
  • Big band jazz from the Marines and Navy bands livened the spirits amid the dark clouds.
    — Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 1 Apr. 2024
  • The breadth of styles currently available is meant to liven your look up a bit too.
    — Vogue, 14 May 2022
  • Also, a bit of crème fraîche added to a soup or a dessert can really liven things up.
    — Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan, House Beautiful, 1 June 2010
  • These colorful shorts can liven up any capsule pieces in your wardrobe.
    — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 10 June 2026
  • Use it for fresh buds or a few pampas stems to liven up your living room or sleeping space.
    — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 11 Oct. 2023
  • This piece is ideal for those in need of a statement piece to liven up the blank wall across from your bed frame.
    — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 2 Mar. 2026
  • Grab this 756-piece set to help liven up a space and serve as a decor focal point.
    — Kelsey Fredricks, People.com, 10 Oct. 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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