revive

verb

re·​vive ri-ˈvīv 

revived; reviving

intransitive verb

: to return to consciousness or life : become active or flourishing again

Business is beginning to revive.

transitive verb

1

: to restore to consciousness, life, or healthy condition

doctors trying to revive a patient

Water revived the wilting flowers.

2

: to restore from a depressed, inactive, or unused state : bring back

The movie revived her career.

3

: to renew in the mind or memory

Visiting the old house revived childhood memories.

revivable

ri-ˈvī-və-bəl 

adjective

reviver noun

Synonyms of revive

• resurrect
• renew

Examples of revive in a Sentence

The success of the movie has revived her career.

The government is trying to revive the economy.

Our spirits were revived by his enthusiasm.

The store's business is beginning to revive.

The family is trying to revive an old custom.

He has decided to revive Molière's Tartuffe.

Recent Examples on the Web

But Ueno's collapse revives long-standing concerns about weak institutions. — Emilio Sanabria, Arkansas Online, 4 Nov. 2026

In Iowa, Lahn owns an investment company and has revived the eastern Iowa farm that had been in his family for a century. — CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026

Tiger Woods and his design firm are set to break ground on a new project, reviving a golf club that's been closed since 2021. — Ryan Morik Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2026

The split vote to kill the tolls sent shockwaves all the way to Raleigh, putting the entire Charlotte region in state lawmakers’ crosshairs before the highway project was ultimately revived in September. — Charlotte Observer, 2 Nov. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French revivre, from Latin revivere to live again, from re- + vivere to live — more at quick entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for revive

• alive
• archive
• arrive
• beehive
• connive
• contrive
• deprive
• derive
• khedive
• survive
• dive
• drive

Kids Definition

revive

verb

re·​vive ri-ˈvīv 

revived; reviving

1

: to make (someone or something) strong, active, or healthy again

2

: to bring back into use or popularity

trying to revive an old custom

reviver noun

Medical Definition

revive

verb

re·​vive ri-ˈvīv 

revived; reviving

intransitive verb

: to return to consciousness or life

transitive verb

1

: to restore to consciousness or life

2

: to restore from a depressed, inactive, or unused state

revivable

-ˈvī-və-bəl 

adjective

Legal Definition

revive

transitive verb

re·​vive ri-ˈvīv 

revived; reviving

: to restore the force, effect, or validity of (as a contract, will, or action)