enliven — to make something more lively, cheerful, or interesting
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to make something more lively, cheerful, or interesting
Pronunciation (IPA): /ɪnˈlaɪvən/
Example Sentences
- My grandpa's terrible dad jokes somehow enliven every boring family dinner.
- The government official tried to enliven the tedious policy briefing with a surprise K-pop dance.
- A splash of bright colors can enliven any drab office space.
enliven
VERB[/ɪnˈlaɪvən/]
to make something more lively, cheerful, or interesting
A single musician can enliven the entire quiet plaza with one lively tune.
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Enliven combines the prefix en- (meaning 'to cause to be') with live, derived from Old English lifian and ultimately from Proto-Germanic *libanan. The word emerged in Middle English to mean 'to give life to' or 'to make alive,' later developing the extended sense of 'to make lively or animated.'
Breakdown
en- (to cause to be) + live (from Old English lifian, 'to be alive') + -en (verb-forming suffix). The suffix -en transforms the adjective/noun into a transitive verb meaning 'to make or become.'
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My grandpa's terrible dad jokes somehow enliven every boring family dinner.”
“The government official tried to enliven the tedious policy briefing with a surprise K-pop dance.”
“A splash of bright colors can enliven any drab office space.”
“The new employee's enthusiasm enlivened the entire team's morale.”
📚Related Words
Want to master 27,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.