as in to stimulate
to give life, vigor, or spirit to
Mr. Clark animates history for his sixth graders by frequently showing up for class dressed like some famous historical figure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in animated
having much high-spirited energy and movement
an animate dance routine that will really get the blood pumping
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in breathing
having or showing life
had a dream about a sandwich that becomes animate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of animate
Mitch Therieau, New Yorker, 2 July 2025
To understand the ideas animating Trump’s world, a good place to start is Buckley’s.
—Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
Alex Marshall, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025
Such seemingly minor biographical details are what animate L’Enchanteur, which was born in 2012 after Soull and Dynasty merged their independent labels—Alkhemi9 and BRZÉ, respectively.
—Thessaly La Force, Vogue, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for animate
Verb
This contradiction has animated her music from the beginning.
—Mitch Therieau, New Yorker, 2 July 2025
To understand the ideas animating Trump’s world, a good place to start is Buckley’s.
—Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
Adjective
But other works touch on issues that animate Polish conservatives, including the legacies of Communism and the Holocaust.
—Alex Marshall, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025
Such seemingly minor biographical details are what animate L’Enchanteur, which was born in 2012 after Soull and Dynasty merged their independent labels—Alkhemi9 and BRZÉ, respectively.
—Thessaly La Force, Vogue, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for animate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for animate
Verb
-
Doing so could stimulate economic growth, and would be warmly welcomed by the White House and investors.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
-
Examples include flashing notifications that make your phone jump and squeak, colorful rewards when others like your posts, and algorithms that push out the most emotional content to stimulate your most base emotions of anger, shame or glee.—
Lisa Schirch,
The Conversation,
7 July 2025
Adjective
-
The firm, which was founded three years ago by Julian Jacob, will then focus on transforming other toy brands into animated and live-action series, digital shorts, casual and mobile games, and immersive formats designed for today’s digitally native generation.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
8 July 2025
-
Martinsen described Arlo as an unusually animated and communicative baby.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 July 2025
Adjective
-
In February, a lively and well-attended protest march took over the streets of downtown McAllen; a news site compared it to a celebration after a high-school-football victory.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
7 July 2025
-
The nightlife scene is surprisingly buzzy, with local favorites such as the Silver Dollar Bar and Saloon and the iconic Million Dollar Cowboy Bar offering live music and a lively crowd.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
5 July 2025
Adjective
-
With each passing day, however, the chance of finding someone alive dwindles.—
Rick Jervis,
USA Today,
9 July 2025
-
Though the first women to cast their ballots in Colonial America didn’t live to see their peers regain the right to vote, suffragist leaders like Stanton and Anthony kept these trailblazers' memory alive into the 20th century.—
Peter Zablocki,
Smithsonian Magazine,
8 July 2025
Adjective
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Born 12 years apart, videos shared by their mom online show an energetic and happy Izzy Offett and a reserved Wayland Coe through the years.—
Jade Jackson,
IndyStar,
14 July 2025
-
These curious cats are energetic, curious and know their names.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
State records show that Glass House holds multiple active licenses to grow cannabis.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 July 2025
-
These insects have been active since the end of June.—
Chris McKeown,
The Enquirer,
12 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Animate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/animate. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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