sublimation

American  

[suhb-luh-mey-shuhn] / ˌsʌb ləˈmeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. Psychology. the diversion of the energy of a sexual or other biological impulse from its immediate goal to one of a more acceptable social, moral, or aesthetic nature or use.

2. Chemistry. the act, fact, or process of subliming.

3. a purification or refinement; ennoblement.

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sublimation British  

/ ˌsʌblɪˈmeɪʃən /

noun

1. (in Freudian psychology) the diversion of psychic energy derived from sexual impulses into nonsexual activity, esp of a creative nature

2. the process or an instance of sublimating

3. something sublimated

4. chem the process or instance or subliming

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sublimation Scientific  

/ sŭb′lə-mā′shən /

1. The process of changing from a solid to a gas without passing through an intermediate liquid phase. Carbon dioxide, at a pressure of one atmosphere, sublimates at about −78 degrees Celsius. Ice and snow on the Earth's surface also sublimate at temperatures below the freezing point of water.

2. Compare deposition

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sublimation ¹ Cultural  

1. In chemistry, the direct conversion of a solid into a gas, without passage through a liquid stage. (See phases of matter.)

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sublimation ² Cultural  

1. In Freudian psychology, a defense mechanism by which the individual satisfies a socially prohibited instinctive drive (usually sexual or aggressive) through the substitution of socially acceptable behavior. For example, someone with strong sexual drives who paints nude portraits may be engaging in sublimation.

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Other Word Forms

• nonsublimation noun
• resublimation noun
• sublimational adjective

Etymology

Origin of sublimation

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Middle French, from Late Latin sublimation-, stem of sublimatio “elevation,” equivalent to Latin sublimāt(us), past participle of sublimāre “to elevate” + -iō -ion ( def. ); see sublimate ( def. )

Explanation

When anything solid turns into a gas without first becoming liquid, that’s sublimation. When the surface layer of snow or ice turns into fog or steam without melting, this is an example of sublimation. The noun sublimation is from the Latin word sublimare, meaning “to raise a higher status.” In the field of mental health, sublimation helps people who have urges that, if acted on, are self-destructive or dangerous to others. They are taught how to direct that energy into something productive like creating art, exercising, or otherwise finding an outlet to take mind off of problematic thoughts.

Example Sentences

One early idea was that more snow might be turning directly into water vapor, a process called sublimation.

From Science Daily • Apr. 14, 2026

In many ways, the film was a sublimation of the career-long anxieties of its director/co-writer, Billy Wilder, and co-star Swanson.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 7, 2025

But the quality of her performance depends on how deeply she can sink into the role, and Nikki will do anything — consciously or otherwise — to achieve utter sublimation, and, in turn, total perfection.

From Salon • Jan. 25, 2025

How about a righteous female cop who takes her cases a little too personally, going so far as to endanger herself as a sublimation of the dissatisfaction in her domestic life?

From New York Times • Feb. 8, 2024

Sigmund Freud, the founder of modern psychiatry, conceived of art primarily in terms of sublimation outside of consciousness.

From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson

Related Words

• reticence
• self-consciousness
• shyness