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as in to lift
to move from a lower to a higher place or position the old trick of using a fat phone book to elevate a child to a more comfortable position at the table

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb elevate contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of elevate are boost, heave, hoist, lift, raise, and rear. While all these words mean "to move from a lower to a higher place or position," elevate may replace lift or raise especially when exalting or enhancing is implied.

elevated the taste of the public

When could boost be used to replace elevate?

The words boost and elevate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, boost suggests assisting to climb or advance by a push.

boosted his brother over the fence

In what contexts can heave take the place of elevate?

Although the words heave and elevate have much in common, heave implies lifting and throwing with great effort or strain.

heaved the heavy crate inside

When is hoist a more appropriate choice than elevate?

In some situations, the words hoist and elevate are roughly equivalent. However, hoist implies lifting something heavy especially by mechanical means.

hoisted the cargo on board

When can lift be used instead of elevate?

The words lift and elevate can be used in similar contexts, but lift usually implies exerting effort to overcome resistance of weight.

lift the chair while I vacuum

Where would raise be a reasonable alternative to elevate?

While the synonyms raise and elevate are close in meaning, raise carries a stronger implication of bringing up to the vertical or to a high position.

scouts raising a flagpole

How are the words rear and raise related as synonyms of elevate?

Rear may add an element of suddenness to raise.

suddenly reared itself up on its hind legs

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of elevate What finally elevated my perspective was a luminous Book that perfectly alchemized my thoughts, beliefs, with human nature. Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 13 May 2025 For the Cowboys, who have one of the most physical offensive lines in the league, chock-full of first-round picks, his effort as a run blocker has to be elevated. Ted Nguyen, New York Times, 13 May 2025 But even more than her team depends on Clark, the league and the sport as a whole have leaned on the star to elevate its popularity. Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 2 May 2025 For clean girl scent lovers looking to elevate their collection or gourmand enthusiasts willing to explore beyond their comfort zone, Angel Dust by Fugazzi might just be your next obsession too. Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 2 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for elevate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elevate
Verb
  • Knowledge can excite wonder but so too can a joking voice, a sympathetic gesture and an unforeseen act of kindness.
    Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2025
  • The work’s prospect for enhancing our understanding of gravitational-wave sources excites scientists who are gearing up for this new wave of detectors.
    Ramin Skibba, Scientific American, 13 May 2025
Verb
  • Removing Old or Set-in Vaseline Stains on Delicate Fabrics Cornstarch or baby powder can lift Vaseline stains from fabrics, thanks to their absorbency.
    Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 May 2025
  • The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle lifted off from a launch pad on the southeastern coast of India early Sunday, local time, with a radar reconnaissance satellite named EOS-09, or RISAT-1B.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 23 May 2025
Verb
  • Plus, hair loss treatments do so much more than promote hair growth, which usually takes a couple of months to see.
    Jamie Allison Sanders, People.com, 13 May 2025
  • Picking out a new plant, joining a Facebook group about gardening, and sharing your harvest with friends, family or neighbors, can all promote the social aspect of gardening and reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness.
    Clarence Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2025
Verb
  • In panel discussions, roundtables, and closed-door meetings, analysts exalted the virtues of the United States as an investment destination and excoriated Europe as overregulated, uncompetitive, and incapable of innovating.
    Arancha González Laya, Foreign Affairs, 12 May 2025
  • The story of Combs’s rise and fall exposes the many fractures in a legacy that pop culture was always eager to exalt.
    Kyndall Cunningham, Vox, 12 May 2025
Verb
  • And the reason this is elating to watch — in the way that a movie about the making of almost any other movie might not be — is that there’s barely any separation between the film Godard is making and what’s happening off camera.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 May 2025
  • Some people are not going to be elated by every provision of the bill.
    Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 6 May 2025
Verb
  • The fundraiser is to be held Tuesday between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Smyth raised $34,000 in campaign contributions, the Nancy on Norwalk website reports, in the first four weeks after announcing her candidacy in March.
    Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 17 May 2025
  • The trend has raised alarm because visitors from abroad have an important impact on the U.S. economy — especially in California, one of the leading destinations for German tourists.
    Erik Kirschbaum, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2025
Verb
  • Duffy recently announced a sweeping program to upgrade the agency's technology infrastructure, as well as hiring incentives to entice more would-be air traffic controllers.
    Zach Wichter, USA Today, 23 May 2025
  • The Packers return 20 of 22 starters, and appear to have upgraded the roster via free agency and the draft.
    Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
Verb
  • Homer himself uses natural metaphors to ennoble violent human actors: Achilles is a wildfire sweeping across the Trojan plain.
    Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
  • Its main focus is ennobling the essence of lava as a driving force for innovation in a contemporary age, as well as celebrating its centuries-old Neapolitan craftsmanship that has led to the creation of scenographic spaces, settings and projects.
    Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 9 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Elevate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elevate. Accessed 27 May. 2025.

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