Synonyms

galvanize

American

[gal-vuh-nahyz] / ˈgæl vəˌnaɪz /

especially British, galvanise

verb (used with object)

galvanized, galvanizing

to stimulate by or as if by a galvanic current.
Medicine/Medical. to stimulate or treat (muscles or nerves) with induced direct current (faradize ).
to startle into sudden activity; stimulate.

Synonyms:

animate, spur, fire, electrify, stir, rouse
to coat (metal, especially iron or steel) with zinc.

galvanize British

/ ˈɡælvəˌnaɪz /

verb

to stimulate to action; excite; startle
to cover (iron, steel, etc) with a protective zinc coating by dipping into molten zinc or by electrodeposition
to stimulate by application of an electric current

"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

noun

galvanized iron, usually in the form of corrugated sheets as used in roofing

"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

Other Word Forms

galvanization noun
galvanizer noun
nongalvanized adjective
pregalvanize verb (used with object)
regalvanization noun
regalvanize verb (used with object)
ungalvanized adjective

Etymology

Origin of galvanize

First recorded in 1795–1805; from French galvaniser, named after Luigi Galvani; -ize

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.

Even starting a niche, alternative product can help galvanize broader change, said Jiye Son, the founder and chief executive of Anew, noting that a lot of chemical companies also have cosmetic departments.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 18, 2026

"We hope that this study will galvanize efforts to have yeast on board in future space explorations."

From Science Daily • Feb. 8, 2026

“Fear is a powerful motivator, and today we’re seeing how fear can galvanize people into making decisions for their own self-protection,” Brown says.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 4, 2025

The hope, Nichols said, was that it would resonate with others and galvanize them to advocate for the government to change course.

From Salon • Apr. 26, 2025

She had grown up in West Texas, and it was obvious to her that high school football could galvanize a community and help keep it together.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger

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