verb · formal
enliven
/ɪnˈlaɪvən/en·LIV·en
to make something more lively, interesting, or entertaining
Examples
“A few colourful posters enlivened the otherwise drab classroom.”
“Her anecdotes enlivened the lecture and kept students engaged.”
“Adding fresh ingredients enlivened the dish and improved its flavour.”
Band 8 sentence
“Incorporating local music and stories enlivened the museum exhibit, making abstract history tangible for visitors.”
Collocations
- enliven a conversation
- enliven a room/space
Word family
Common mistakes
The music enlivened to the party.→The music enlivened the party.
She enlivened the talk by telling jokes at herself.→She enlivened the talk by telling jokes about herself.
Say it for a higher band
5improve→6brighten→7+enliven
Synonyms
liven up
Easily confused
liven up
“They tried to liven up the meeting with a quick icebreaker.”
Related words
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In -en
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