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elevate

/ˌɛləˈveɪt/

/ˈɛləveɪt/

Other forms: elevated; elevating; elevates

To elevate is to lift up, either literally or figuratively. One way to elevate your mood is to exercise and elevate your heart rate. But if you exercise too hard and sprain your ankle, you might have to elevate it by propping it on a pillow.

An elevator elevates you: it carries you to a higher floor in a building. Elevate can also mean to raise something to a higher intellectual level, as when an informed speaker elevates the level of debate about an issue. A boss can elevate, or promote, a worker to a better position. For example, a restaurant manager might elevate a superb busboy to the position of waiter. Elevate comes from Latin elevates, which means “to raise” or even "to lighten.”

Definitions of elevate
  1. verb
    raise from a lower to a higher position
    synonyms: bring up, get up, lift, raise
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    Antonyms:
    bring down, get down, let down, lower, take down
    move something or somebody to a lower position
    types:
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    get up
    cause to rise
    jack, jack up
    lift with a special device
    shoulder
    lift onto one's shoulders
    kick up
    cause to rise by kicking
    hoist, lift, wind
    raise or haul up with or as if with mechanical help
    trice, trice up
    raise with a line
    hoist, run up
    raise
    hoist
    move from one place to another by lifting
    pump
    raise (gases or fluids) with a pump
    levitate
    cause to rise in the air and float, as if in defiance of gravity
    underlay
    raise or support (the level of printing) by inserting a piece of paper or cardboard under the type
    skid
    elevate onto skids
    pinnacle
    raise on or as if on a pinnacle
    chin, chin up
    raise oneself while hanging from one's hands until one's chin is level with the support bar
    leaven, prove, raise
    cause to puff up with a leaven
    heighten
    increase the height of
    boost, hike, hike up
    increase
    gather up, lift up, pick up
    take and lift upward
    erect, rear
    cause to rise up
    trice, trice up
    hoist up or in and lash or secure with a small rope
    pitch, set up
    erect and fasten
    cock up, prick, prick up
    raise
    type of:
    displace, move
    cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense
  2. verb
    raise in rank or condition
    synonyms: lift, raise
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    types:
    dignify
    raise the status of
    exalt
    raise in rank, character, or status
    deify
    exalt to the position of a God
    type of:
    alter, change, modify
    cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
  3. verb
    give a promotion to or assign to a higher position
    synonyms: advance, kick upstairs, promote, raise, upgrade
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    Antonyms:
    break, bump, demote, kick downstairs, relegate
    assign to a lower position; reduce in rank
    types:
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    tenure
    give life-time employment to
    bring up
    promote from a lower position or rank
    spot promote
    promote on the spot
    ennoble, entitle, gentle
    give a title to someone; make someone a member of the nobility
    favor, favour, prefer
    promote or prefer over another
    brevet
    promote somebody by brevet, in the military
    baronetise, baronetize
    confer baronetcy upon
    lord
    make a lord of someone
    dub, knight
    raise (someone) to knighthood
    advantage
    give an advantage to
    type of:
    assign, delegate, depute, designate
    give an assignment to (a person) to a post, or assign a task to (a person)
Pronunciation
US

/ˌɛləˈveɪt/

UK

/ˈɛləveɪt/

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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘elevate'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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