invigorate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
invigorates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
invigorated,
past participle, past
-
invigorating
present participle
verb
Usage
What does invigorate mean? To invigorate is to fill with energy or a feeling of vitality, renewal, or refreshment. Invigorate is especially used in the context of things that make people feel “alive” or renewed or refreshed physically, mentally, and emotionally. Such a state or feeling can be called vigor, which is at the root of invigorate. A close synonym is vitality. In other words, to invigorate is to fill with vigor. Someone who feels this way can be described with the adjective invigorated, as in I feel really invigorated after that long, restful weekend. Something that invigorates can be described with the adjective invigorating, as in I love an invigorating swim in the ocean. Sometimes, invigorate is applied to things other than people to mean something like stimulate or boost, as in These measures are meant to invigorate the economy. Example: Being out in the sunshine invigorates me and makes me feel alive.
Synonym Usage
See animate.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
invigorationnoun
-
invigoratornoun
-
reinvigorationnoun
-
reinvigorateverb (used with object)
-
invigoratingadjective
-
invigorativeadjective
-
uninvigoratedadjective
-
uninvigorativeadjective
-
invigoratinglyadverb
-
invigorativelyadverb
-
uninvigorativelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
invigoratesimple
-
invigoratessimple
-
have invigoratedperfect
-
has invigoratedperfect
-
am invigoratingprogressive
-
are invigoratingprogressive
-
is invigoratingprogressive
-
have been invigoratingperfect progressive
-
has been invigoratingperfect progressive
Past
-
invigoratedsimple
-
had invigoratedperfect
-
was invigoratingprogressive
-
were invigoratingprogressive
-
had been invigoratingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of invigorate
First recorded in 1640–50; in- 2 + obsolete vigorate “invigorated”; see vigor, -ate 1
Explanation
Invigorate means to give strength or energy to something or someone. If you're the new cheerleading coach, you can invigorate the team by bringing them your exciting new cheers, and the team’s growing popularity will invigorate them even more. When you invigorate someone, you inspire, you breathe life into them. One of the best ways to invigorate another person is with your own enthusiasm — when you're animated and energetic, it seems to rub off on others. You might need to invigorate yourself when you first wake up in the morning, with a cup of coffee or a shower to get you going for the day. The word invigorate comes from the Latin in, "toward" and vigorare "make strong."
Vocabulary lists containing invigorate
Fahrenheit 451
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
George Washington's Farewell Address (1796)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Princess Bride
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
“Revelations like this could invigorate native Amerindians in the same way that the Indus Valley Civilization stirred people in India,” Mr. Kean writes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026
The company said Oliveira would bring “fresh perspective that is expected to invigorate Heineken.”
From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026
In sum, it all sounds less like a good-faith effort to invigorate a vital newsmagazine for modern times—and more like an effort to have it fall apart, piece by piece.
From Slate ● Jun. 5, 2026
And staying curious — all these things that invigorate you are the things that you should be surrounding yourself with, those thoughts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 4, 2025
Tio Fello dragged her off right after Christmas because he found her very thin and sad and thought the mountain air would invigorate her.
From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez
This critic is all for so-called color-blind casting; in addition to promoting employment, it invigorates the work.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2025
“It really invigorates audiences’ senses — not just momentarily for the purpose of entertainment.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2023
He wrote that contrology “develops the body uniformly, corrects wrong postures, restores physical vitality, invigorates the mind, and elevates the spirit.”
From Slate ● Jul. 8, 2023
As the project progresses, the aroma of sawdust still invigorates me, and I must say, I do miss wearing my tool belt rig all day long while building a new house.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 19, 2022
But this was not the sleep which invigorates and prepares the way for convalescence; like a nightmare it seemed to lie upon her and to press down her eyelids by force.
From The Wish A Novel by Hermann Sudermann
He told the workers that he felt invigorated by the “high spirit of the powerful working class.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 4, 2026
The ongoing data-center build-out has invigorated new product cycles and pricing power for these businesses.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 28, 2026
He emerged as the leader of an invigorated opposition, leading it to its strongest-ever performance in the 2013 elections.
From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2025
And now that he’s out of the picture, with his shortcomings burning in public recollection, those two ideologies are more invigorated than ever.
From Slate ● Oct. 10, 2025
The conductor lifts his baton, and I'm invigorated hearing the familiar passages: the drone of the double bass as the heartrending introduction begins, the strings peeling away layers like birch bark.
From "What the Night Sings" by Vesper Stamper
The contrasting styles and materials of the individual elements elevate each work into an invigorating whole—a pensive portrait, for example, is given a frisson of danger thanks to the spiky crab shells that surround it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
After holding Michelsen off, Tiafoe took the match to a deciding set where the pair traded multiple breaks of serve - invigorating the spectators on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
As a collection of ideas about the human condition, ripe for interpretation, it’s invigorating.
From Salon ● Sep. 7, 2026
The invigorating brass or woody bass of salsa, son and cha-cha-cha are all but gone.
From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026
He stocked it with her music workbooks and sheaves of invigorating Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky, and a selection of Chopin.
From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
