elevate

1 to fill with great joy seeing their son ordained as a priest was one of the most elevating moments in their lives Synonyms elate, enrapture, exhilarate, intoxicate, transportRelated Words commove, excite, inspire, stimulate, uplift; content, delight, gladden, gratify, please, rejoice, satisfy, warmNear Antonyms demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit; distress, oppress, saddenAntonyms depress

2 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 boost, crane, raise, heave, heft, heighten, hike, hoist, jack (up), lift, perk (up), pick up, take up, up, uphold, uplift, upraiseRelated Words ascend, mount, rise; rear, upendNear Antonyms descend, dip, fall, pitch, plunge, slip; bear, depress, press, push; sink, submergeAntonyms drop, lower

3 to move higher in rank or position the announcement that the pope will elevate several prelates to the rank of cardinal Synonyms advance, promote, raise, upgradeRelated Words forward, further; aggrandize, boost, heighten, improve, lift, uplift; commission, ennoble, knight; acclaim, applaud, celebrate, cite, commend, compliment, congratulate, decorate; eulogize, exalt, extol (also extoll), glorify, hail, honor, laud, praise, saluteNear Antonyms depose, dethrone, dismiss, expel, impeach, oust, overthrow, remove, unmake, unseat; demean, disgrace, dishonor, humble, humiliate, mortify, shame, take down; censure, condemn, damn, denounce, reprobateAntonyms abase, degrade, demote, downgrade, lower, reduce

4 to assign a high status or value to a decade in which greed and selfishness were elevated to the rank of virtues Synonyms aggrandize, canonize, deify, dignify, exalt, ennoble, enshrine, ensky, enthrone, glorify, magnifyRelated Words boost, lift, promote, raise, upgrade, uplift; heighten, intensify; idealize, romanticize, sanitize, sugarcoat; acclaim, extol (also extoll), honor, laud, praiseNear Antonyms belittle, decry, depreciate, detract, disparage, minimizeAntonyms abase, degrade, demean, humble, humiliate