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.

But if the movie’s just-so fatalism is less than galvanizing, it’s also soberly convincing.

From The Wall Street Journal

Bursting into national prominence in the mid-1960s in the San Joaquin Valley, Chavez galvanized public support on behalf of them after organizing community groups across Central and Southern California.

From Los Angeles Times

Bursting into national prominence in the mid-1960s in the San Joaquin Valley, Chavez galvanized public support on behalf of farm workers.

From Los Angeles Times

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

Despite the uproar, experts said the salute by Smith and Carlos was a defining moment for Black people, galvanizing the Civil Rights Movement.

From Los Angeles Times

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