Definitions

lively

[lahyv-lee] / ˈlaɪv li /

ADJECTIVE

energetic, active, busy

Synonyms

STRONGEST

animated bright buoyant bustling cheerful enjoyable entertaining festive frisky nimble peppy provocative refreshing spirited stimulating vigorous

WEAK

agile alert animate astir blithe blithesome bouncy brisk buzzing chipper chirpy complex dashing driving effervescent enterprising frolicsome full of pep gay go-go happy hyper industrious involved jocund jumping keen merry perky pert quick rousing snappy sparkling sprightly spry stirring vivacious zippy

Antonyms

STRONGEST

apathetic depressed down dull gloomy heavy inactive lethargic sad somber unhappy unpleasant

WEAK

dispirited lifeless sleepy

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

While sportsbooks hope for a lively tournament that keeps bettors engaged, they don’t want things to get too wild, like the last World Cup final.

From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026

The ship’s officers traded barbs in a Q&A with passengers, then I paired up with another cruiser in a lively music-bingo session.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026

O’Bryant’s edit is lively and sparkling, bringing a certain element of humor while also demonstrating in montages the desperation that leads Niki down this path.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026

The viewer wants the punches, kicks and knockouts, maybe with a few jokes peppered in to keep things lively.

From Salon • May 27, 2026

The gamelan orchestras of southeast Asia, for example, have an aesthetic preference for the "lively and full" sounds that come from instruments playing near, not on, the same pitch.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones

Vocabulary lists containing lively

Mr. Popper’s Penguins

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List 2

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"One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia, List 2

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