livelier; liveliest
1
3
: full of life, movement, or incident
lively streets at carnival time
5
: imparting spirit or vivacity : stimulating
many a peer of England brews livelier liquor than the Muse—
A. E. Housman
6
: quick to rebound : resilient
a lively ball
7
: responding readily to the helm
a lively boat
8
obsolete
: living
Examples of lively in a Sentence
a very lively writing style
The book is lively and well written.
They had a lively debate.
A lively atmosphere keeps people coming back to the café.
Recent Examples on the Web
Panelists had been carefully chosen and the moderators ensured lively debates took place.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
To introduce persimmon in a balanced way, Bassford recommends incorporating the color into decorative touches like wallpaper, upholstery, or bedding for a lively yet harmonious effect.
—Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Apr. 2025
His arm is really quick, and the fastball is lively, while his off-speed stuff wasn’t as sharp in this outing.
—Keith Law, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
The lively palette is a tribute to architect Luis Barragán and guests can enjoy several artistic nooks throughout the space, with the bedrooms rendered in calmer tones for quiet nights.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lively
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Lively.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lively. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.
Kids Definition
lively
adjective
live·ly
ˈlīv-lē 
livelier; liveliest
1
: full of life : active
a lively puppy
2
: keen entry 1 sense 3
a lively interest
3
: full of spirit or feeling
a lively debate
4
: showing activity or spirit
a lively manner
liveliness
noun
lively
adverb
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share