liven up

verb

To improve a person's mood by making them more energetic.

“The party livened up after they brought out the cake.”

Similar
cheer uplivenanimatearouseawakenbeghastleavenbright
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Meanings

verbliven up (third-person singular simple present livens up, present participle livening up, simple past and past participle livened up)

present singular third person livens up · participle present livening up · participle past livened up · past livened up

  1. transitiveTo improve a person's mood by making them more energetic.

    Darren looks down at the moment; let's try to liven him up.

    Synonyms: cheer up, liven, animate, arouse, awaken, beghast, leaven, bright

  2. intransitiveTo become more happy, energetic or positive.

    The party livened up after they brought out the cake.

    Synonyms: blithen, cheer up, gladden

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo improve a person's mood by making them more energetic.

Similar
cheer uplivenanimatearouseawakenbeghastleavenbrightbrightencheerenergizeenlivenenthuseexaltexcitefire upgingerginger upinflameinvigorate

verbTo become more happy, energetic or positive.

Similar
blithencheer upgladden

More synonyms by meaning

verbmake lively

Similar
enlivenliveninvigorateanimate
Broader
stimulatearousebrace
Also see
animatecheer upenlivenhappyinvigoratejazz upliven

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

German aufmuntern, aufleben
  • aufmunternimprove a person's mood
  • auflebenbecome more happy
Irish beoigh suas
  • beoigh suasimprove a person's mood
Latin animō, animō
  • animōimprove a person's mood
  • animōbecome more happy
Russian приободрить, приободриться
  • приободрить (priobodritʹ)improve a person's mood
  • приободриться (priobodritʹsja)become more happy
Swedish leva upp
  • leva uppbecome more happy
Cite this entry
APA

liven up. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/liven%20up

MLA

“liven up.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/liven%20up. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “liven up,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/liven%20up.

Source: liven up on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.