revive

verb

re·​vive ri-ˈvīv How to pronounce revive (audio)
revived; reviving

intransitive verb

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

transitive verb

1
: to restore to consciousness or life
2
: to restore from a depressed, inactive, or unused state : bring back
3
: to renew in the mind or memory
revivable adjective
reviver noun

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. See More
Recent Examples on the Web For its part, Beijing is reportedly exploring new measures to revive the property sector like offering additional stimulus of at least $140 billion, and allowing banks to offer unsecured short-term funding for a developer’s day-to-day operations. Bylionel Lim, Fortune, 24 Nov. 2023 Deputies and paramedics responding to the school tried to revive the girl, who later was pronounced dead at a hospital, the Pima County sheriff's office said. CBS News, 24 Nov. 2023 To revive them, heat them in the oven or an air fryer just before eating. Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 24 Nov. 2023 In the latest episode of The Kardashians, the pre-teen revived the famed Fashion Police talk show for one evening only, dissecting 2023 Met Gala looks with Joan Rivers-esque candor (Kim K's words, not mine!). Glamour, 23 Nov. 2023 The news comes a week after it was announced that Jeffrey Donovan would not be back for the new season of the long-running (and recently revived) procedural. Joe Otterson, Variety, 22 Nov. 2023 Share [Findings] Mount Vesuvius turned a Herculaneum man’s brain to glass, according to archaeologists, who also revived the voice of a priest from the reign of Ramesses XI and determined that a mummy in the Ulster Museum had been stabbed in the back. Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 22 Nov. 2023 The worm was praised—loved, even—until 1992, when a NASA administrator suddenly revived the meatball, thereby ditching the worm. Robert Sullivan, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2023 And will more classic artists try to revive older demos with newer technology? Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 14 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'revive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of revive was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near revive

Cite this Entry

“Revive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/revive. Accessed 4 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

revive

verb
re·​vive ri-ˈvīv How to pronounce revive (audio)
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 How to pronounce revive (audio)
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 adjective

Legal Definition

revive

transitive verb
re·​vive ri-ˈvīv How to pronounce revive (audio)
revived; reviving
: to restore the force, effect, or validity of (as a contract, will, or action)

More from Merriam-Webster on revive

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