Synonyms

electrify

American

[ih-lek-truh-fahy] / ɪˈlɛk trəˌfaɪ /

verb (used with object)

to charge with or subject to electricity; apply electricity to.
to supply (a region, community, etc.) with electric power.

The valley wasn't electrified until 1936.
to equip for the use of electric power, as a railroad.
to excite greatly; thrill.

to electrify an audience.

Synonyms:

dazzle, rouse, stir

electrify British

/ ɪˈlɛktrɪˌfaɪ /

verb

to adapt or equip (a system, device, etc) for operation by electrical power
to charge with or subject to electricity
to startle or excite intensely; shock or thrill

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of electrify

First recorded in 1735–45; electr- + -ify

Explanation

Electrify means to make something electric — either literally or figuratively. You can electrify a house by wiring it so the occupants will have lights, or you can electrify a boring party by getting everyone laughing. A captivating person might electrify every room she enters. Maybe it’s her laugh, maybe it’s the way she talks with her hands, maybe it’s the zany scarves she wears. Something about her gets everyone going. In a related sense, electrify can also describe what the electrician does to a house — she wires it so that the lights, computers, and television can all be plugged in and operate properly.

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Vocabulary lists containing electrify

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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.

See Examples For:

electrify electrifies electrified electrifying

"It is possible that events in the future might electrify the public, and then positions - and talk - might not be so cheap," he said.

From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026

And to fully electrify the site will require around six million euros in investment for a company with a turnover of about 40 million euros -- which means taking on debt.

From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026

The trend is a reminder that, despite the breakneck growth of green electricity in China, the world’s factory still largely runs on polluting processes that are hard to electrify.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026

Lawmakers are also moving this year to boost heat pump adoption — proposing to streamline permitting, and make it easier to electrify homes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 1, 2026

But a skilled writer can enliven and sometimes electrify her prose with the judicious insertion of a surprising word.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

As Beijing’s drive for technological dominance electrifies China’s AI scene, investors’ fear of missing out has pushed MiniMax’s market capitalization to over $40 billion.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 26, 2026

Electrospinning is a technique which electrifies droplets of liquid to form fibres from plastics.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 23, 2024

Fleet manager Sean Clifton has 50 additional Ford vans and 20 Maxus vans on order, but will need more soon as Asda electrifies its 1,300 delivery vans.

From Reuters ● Apr. 13, 2023

“Jagged” won for best book, by Diablo Cody, and for best featured actress, Lauren Patten, who electrifies audiences with her showstopping rendition of Morissette’s “You Oughta Know.”

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 26, 2021

Mittelstaedt has some news ready for me that electrifies me on the spot.

From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque

But he’s also really electrified some younger voters.

From Slate ● Oct. 6, 2026

He said the charity was in the process of moving to a fully electrified fleet, but he said rising fuel costs directly affected the families it supported.

From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026

Burton said he’s thrilled by the prospect of an electrified I-5 corridor, and that the government commitment announced Wednesday will help bring more public awareness and support for growing EV infrastructure.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

It’s part of the lodge’s electrified safari program, which began in 2014 with the introduction of a solar-powered safari boat—a continentwide first.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026

When we headed back, I found Patrice near the enclosure’s electrified fence, high on a ladder to wash the solar panels.

From "Endangered" by Eliot Schrefer

Low was inside Westminster Abbey for Diana's funeral and vividly remembers the public response to the electrifying speech made by Earl Spencer.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

Its bare bones prose and electrifying pictures preserve, honor and celebrate the people, places and ideas responsible for Rosales’ sentimental education.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026

But for those patient enough to watch the pages turn, it ends up somewhere electrifying.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026

Robinson continued his sensational comeback summer with 4-11, while Archer bowled with electrifying pace for his 3-26.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

Taken by his rousing speaking style and electrifying presence, Garrison immediately enlisted Douglass as a lecturer.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023