Word meaning

galvanize

verb · GAL-vuh-nize

What does galvanize mean?

Galvanize means to shock or excite someone into taking action.

Galvanize in a sentence

“The flood galvanized the town into building a new levee.”

Synonyms for galvanize

  • spur
  • stir
  • rouse

Where does galvanize come from?

From Luigi Galvani, an 18th-century Italian scientist who studied electricity in muscles.

How to remember galvanize

  • Say it out loud a few times: GAL-vuh-nize.
  • Write one sentence of your own using galvanize, about something that happened to you today.
  • Quiz yourself tomorrow, in three days, and next week. Spaced reviews are what make new words stick.

More words worth knowing

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  • fathom — to understand something difficult after much thought.
  • earnest — resulting from or showing sincere and intense conviction.
  • demure — reserved, modest, and shy.
  • genial — friendly and cheerful.

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