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.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of animate
Kathryn O’Shea-Evans, Robb Report, 4 Jan. 2026
By turns greeting visitors and barring their entry to the museum, the performers animated the building while desacralizing the quasi-religious majesty and vaulted proportions of Mies’s design.
—Javier Montes, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025
The research found that cats exposed to programs showing animate and inanimate forms of movement—rather than human activity or blank screens—spent significantly more time looking at television monitors.
—Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for animate
Verb
Sculptural silhouettes and saturated color turn everyday objects into small works of art—pieces that catch the light, shift with the angle, and animate a room.
—Adjective
In his account of an Essex owl evening, all senses seem to merge, and all distinction between animate and inanimate disappears.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for animate
Verb
-
Cold showers stimulate the vagus nerve, reduce inflammation, and activate parts of the brain that can calm the body after long exposure.—
-
The implication was that there could be an easily accessible, off-the-shelf shot capable of stimulating the immune system to fight cancer.—
Adjective
-
The show's only limit is its imagination, as fans have already seen Captain Pike and his crew delight in musical and animated episodes.—
-
The sequel, which has the Ghostbusters facing off with the spirit of Vigo the Carpathian and his profoundly negative vibes, ends in a joyous celebration that brings the Big Apple together while an animated Statue of Liberty stomps to the rescue.—
Adjective
-
Chabada For a livelier scene, head to the main drag along Platja de l’Arenal to find Chabada.—
-
The style throughout, irrespective of category, is lively without being hectic, a pleasing postmodern blend of contemporary, midcentury, and roughly Victorian elements.—
Adjective
-
By March 20, bills must pass a full chamber and a full committee in the opposite chamber to remain alive.—
-
The offense needs to put something together here to keep its hopes of playing for the national title alive.—
Adjective
-
Whether that’s stand in the pocket, whether that’s run, whether that’s scramble, whether that’s hand the ball off 30 times and be energetic about it.—
-
The show channels a certain energetic, zany sense of humor viewers could recognize from their own adolescent friendships and antics, culminating in a five-season run and a 2021–2023 revival on Paramount+.—
Adjective
-
Highly active world Enceladus is a highly active world, with a global, salty sub-surface ocean, believed to be the source of its heat.—
-
During inquiries, the ICO found 178 active email accounts using passwords identical or similar to those set by the organization’s IT desk when the account was activated.—
Cite this Entry
“Animate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/animate. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share