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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 Plus, they are finished with a sleek black leather that will elevate any travel wardrobe. Melony Forcier, Travel + Leisure, 12 Sep. 2025 Cooler weather will continue through the end of the week, with good to excellent overnight recovery, and daytime relative humidity values remaining elevated through at least the weekend. Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 12 Sep. 2025 The Source The Canadian Rockies source delivers crisp, natural spring water untouched by unnecessary treatment, while the bottle design introduces a modern convenience that elevates the experience far beyond hydration. Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025 Adding a wreath to your door instantly elevates curb appeal and creates a warm, welcoming vibe. Nora Colomer May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 12 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for elevate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elevate
Verb
  • Looking ahead Asked what excites him most, Bronson points to the combination of scale, culture, and ambition.
    Steven Norton, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • What kind of future projects excite you?
    Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The lockdown was later lifted, but the university said access to campus would remain restricted to students, faculty, and staff with a valid school ID as local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies continued to investigate the threat.
    N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
  • This process lifts stains without increasing their surface area, which can be an issue when scrubbing by hand with a cloth or brush.
    Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • However, the president’s criticism of mail-in ballots could risk disrupting the inroads Republicans made with voters last cycle, with the party spending millions promoting mail-in ballots ahead of the 2024 election.
    Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 11 Sep. 2025
  • It was created with the intention of promoting AI fluency and a future-ready, AI-confident workforce.
    Malana VanTyler, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Summer is usually the time of long days and longer vacations, but summer 2025 was a season where the business world’s inviolable godhead, the chief executive officer, looked less and less like a position worth exalting.
    Ian Chaffee, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2025
  • While knowledge has been exalted by artists, poets, philosophers and scientists, dictatorships have been opposed not only by great humanists but also by science itself.
    Davide Sartini, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Other than suggesting a few corrections, Jefferson’s colleagues were elated by the text.
    Maurizio Valsania, The Conversation, 17 June 2025
  • 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
Verb
  • Among them were countless era-defining releases that are still among the best movies ever made—of any genre—from the haunting Rebecca to the gripping Rear Window, and the ravishing Vertigo to the hair-raising Psycho.
    Radhika Seth, Vogue, 13 Sep. 2025
  • There were times when raising kids, building careers, and paying bills felt overwhelming.
    Allen Buchanan, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The three new watch models boast upgraded health features, fast charging, longer battery lives and a variety of finishes, styles and price points.
    Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The team brought in Scourton, Umanmielen, Ransom, Patrick Jones, Turk Wharton, Bobby Brown and Tre’von Moehrig this offseason to greatly upgrade the group.
    Mike Kaye September 10, Charlotte Observer, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Work for human beings, then, is necessary and even ennobling.
    The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 31 Aug. 2025
  • The Fitzgerald settlement ennobles neither side.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Elevate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elevate. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.

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