Synonyms

vitalize

American

[vahyt-l-ahyz] / ˈvaɪt lˌaɪz /

especially British, vitalise

verb (used with object)

to give life to; make vital.
to give vitality or vigor to; animate.

vitalize British

/ ˈvaɪtəˌlaɪz /

verb

(tr) to make vital, living, or alive; endow with life or vigour

"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

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Etymology

Origin of vitalize

First recorded in 1670–80; vital + -ize

Explanation

To vitalize is to enliven or excite. There's nothing like a good night's sleep to vitalize a tired child. You can use the verb vitalize to describe what happens when you become energized or perked up: "My tai chi class isn't great exercise, but it does vitalize me." A much more common, and related, word is revitalize. For some reason, vitalize is rarely used, although it's much older, first used in the 1670's, while revitalize didn't come into use until 1858 — almost two hundred years later.

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Vocabulary lists containing vitalize

Harry Truman's Inauguration Address

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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.

When Goodman tackles a new project, her first priority is to “depave the landscape” so water and air can nourish plant roots and vitalize soil microbes.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 13, 2024

Smith added, “She takes class apart, she has a clear eye across the traditions that skewer us or vitalize us.”

From New York Times • Oct. 29, 2021

These two elements of the American Revolution, the sovereignty of law and the dream of liberty, vitalize each other.

From Salon • Feb. 17, 2020

He pursues a mystical theme which overrides it: the need for love to vitalize human lives.

From Time Magazine Archive

I admit that one cannot vitalize a lot of senseless luxury.

From Atlantic Classics by Various

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