Dictionary

enliven en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ɛnˈlaɪvən/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From life + en- -en (intensifying verbal circumfix). See liven.

Meanings

1. (archaic, transitive) To give life or spirit to; to revive or animate.
2. (transitive) To make more lively, cheerful or interesting.
   • The game was much enlivened when both teams scored within five minutes of each other.
   • The pace came off the match as the first half continued, with the occasional frenetic moment down the flanks enlivening what otherwise became a chess-like tactical battle. 2023 August 7, Kieran Pender, “Caitlin Foord and Hayley Raso fire Australia into quarter-finals with win over Denmark”, in The Guardian:
   • Travel is enlivened not only by the mixed company of French, Berbers, Arabs, and descendants of the Mediterranean-Corsairs who sit together indiscriminately, but also by itinerant vendors of macaroons, sweetmeats and the like, who, as long as they have a travel ticket, ply their wares unhindered by the [ticket] collectors. 1950 May, “A Tunisian Electric Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 335:

Forms

Antonyms

muffle · de-energize · relax · stifle · calm down · hose down · deaden · smother · suppress · sedate · diminish · benumb

Deriveds

enlivenment · enliveningly · unenlivened · enlivener · unenlivening

Hypernyms

influence · affect

Hyponyms

feague · reinvigorate · incite · gladden · revive

Synonyms

inspirit · liven · awaken · animate · excite · jazz · inflame · brighten · stimulate · spice · ginger · enliven · quicken · liven up · cheer · quicken · liven · invigorate · perk up · vitalise · fire up · invigorate · spice up · arouse · quicken · kindle · beghast · enthuse · leaven · bright · energize · inspire · ginger up · vivify · inspirit · vitalise · exalt · cheer up · liven up

Translations (22)

es animar (to make more lively) · kea animá (to make more lively) · es avivar (to make more lively) · es amenizar (to make more lively) · cs oživit (to make more lively) · mi whakahihiko (to make more lively) · kea anima (to make more lively) · ga beoigh (to make more lively) · ru оживля́ть (to make more lively) · gl arrizar (to make more lively) · gd beothaich (to make more lively) · pt avivar (to make more lively) · ru оживи́ть (to make more lively) · fi vilkastuttaa (to make more lively) · gl avivar (to make more lively) · bg съживявам (to make more lively) · mi whakahari (to make more lively) · mi whakawana (to make more lively) · ro înviora (to make more lively) · bg оживявам (to make more lively) · fi elävöittää (to make more lively) · sv liva upp (to make more lively)