elevate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to move or raise to a higher place or position; lift up.
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to raise to a higher state, rank, or office; exalt; promote.
to elevate an archbishop to cardinal.
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to raise to a higher intellectual or spiritual level.
Good poetry may elevate the mind.
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to raise the spirits; put in high spirits.
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to raise (the voice) in pitch or volume.
adjective
verb
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to move to a higher place
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to raise in rank or status; promote
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to put in a cheerful mood; elate
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to put on a higher cultural plane; uplift
to elevate the tone of a conversation
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to raise the axis of a gun
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to raise the intensity or pitch of (the voice)
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RC Church to lift up (the Host) at Mass for adoration
Usage
What does elevate mean? To elevate something is to move it to a higher position or to lift it up, as in The mechanic elevated the car on a lift so she could work underneath it. Literally, to elevate means to move something to a higher plane. This is normally used in reference to machines or vehicles made to raise something or to lift up something like a ceiling or shelf. Elevate is more commonly used figuratively, meaning to go up in status, value, office, or something else that is measured from low to high. For example, if you become captain of your basketball team, you are elevated to the role of captain. Elevate also means to move feelings from negative to positive or to increase the positivity of feelings. If you’re feeling sad, you might try to elevate your feelings to happiness by taking a hike or going out with friends. Example: I will be elevated to the rank of vice president by the end of the year.
Related Words
Elevate, enhance, exalt, heighten mean to raise or make higher in some respect. To elevate is to raise something up to a higher level, position, or state: to elevate the living standards of a group. To enhance is to add to the attractions or desirability of something: Landscaping enhances the beauty of the grounds. To exalt is to raise very high in rank, character, estimation, mood, etc.: A king is exalted above his subjects. To heighten is to increase the strength or intensity: to heighten one's powers of concentration.
Other Word Forms
- elevatory adjective
- nonelevating adjective
- reelevate verb (used with object)
Etymology
Origin of elevate
First recorded in 1490–1500; from Latin ēlevātus “lightened, lifted up,” past participle of ēlevāre “to lift up,” from ē- e- 1 + levāre “to lighten, lift”; relieve
Explanation
To elevate is to lift up, either literally or figuratively. One way to elevate your mood is to exercise and elevate your heart rate. But if you exercise too hard and sprain your ankle, you might have to elevate it by propping it on a pillow. An elevator elevates you: it carries you to a higher floor in a building. Elevate can also mean to raise something to a higher intellectual level, as when an informed speaker elevates the level of debate about an issue. A boss can elevate, or promote, a worker to a better position. For example, a restaurant manager might elevate a superb busboy to the position of waiter. Elevate comes from Latin elevates, which means “to raise” or even "to lighten.”
Vocabulary lists containing elevate
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Rebound
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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.
His was an aspirational vision, one that aimed to pull people out of themselves and elevate them to a higher order of experience.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026
Both Sinner and Alcaraz continue to elevate their games in an attempt to outstrip the other, while the rest of the ATP Tour lags way behind.
From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026
Darmet said it could lead to increased friction in money markets, and potentially elevate currency and interest-rate volatility.
From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026
Nonetheless, a sustained period of dryness can still cause damage to California’s agricultural industry and elevate the risk of wildfires.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2026
“They tell everyone that. Principles of Sympathy is one of the classes you’ll have to slog through before they elevate you to E’lir.”
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
