animate — English Dictionary

Adjective

1. That lives.

   Synonyms

   alivelivingvital

   Antonyms

   inanimatelifeless

2. That has (or is believed to have) a spirit (anima) and/or some amount of consciousness and sentience, either being alive or supernaturally seeming alive.

   Usage

   • of people

3. Possessing the quality or ability of motion.

   Synonyms

   dynamickineticmotile

   Antonyms

   inanimatesessilestatic

4. Dynamic, energetic.

   Synonyms

   livelyperkyvivaciousactivedynamicenergetic

   Antonyms

   quiescentsedentarystatic

   Examples

   She is an engaging and animate speaker.

5. having a referent that is considered alive (this generally includes humans, animals and deities, sometimes also plants, spirits, etc.)

   Usage

   • of a noun or pronoun

   Examples

   Nouns can be singular or plural, and one of two genders, animate or inanimate.

6. Inflected to agree with an animate noun or pronoun.

   Antonyms

   inanimate

Verb

1. To impart motion or the appearance of motion to.

   Usage

   • Transitive

   Synonyms

   get goingimpel

   Antonyms

   haltstopstay

   Examples

   leaves animated by a stiff breeze

   If we animate the model, we can see the complexity of the action.

2. To give spirit or vigour to; to stimulate or enliven; to inspirit.

   Usage

   • Transitive

   Synonyms

   enlivenvitalise

   Examples

   The more to animate the people, he stood on high […] and cried unto them with a loud voice.

Adjective

1. belonging to the class of nouns that denote living beings

   Antonyms

   inanimate

   Examples

   the word ‘dog’ is animate

2. endowed with animal life as distinguished from plant life

   Antonyms

   inanimate

   Examples

   we are animate beings

3. endowed with feeling and unstructured consciousness

   Synonyms

   sentient

Verb

1. heighten or intensify

   Synonyms

   inspireinvigorateenlivenexalt

   Broader terms

   stimulateshakeshake upexcitestir

   Examples

   These paintings exalt the imagination

2. give lifelike qualities to

   Synonyms

   animizeanimise

   Broader terms

   changealtermodify

   Examples

   animated cartoons

3. make lively

   Synonyms

   enlivenlivenliven upinvigorate

   Broader terms

   stimulatearousebraceenergizeenergiseperk up

   Examples

   let's liven up this room a bit

4. give new life or energy to

   Synonyms

   recreatereanimatereviverenovaterepairquickenvivifyrevivify

   Broader terms

   stimulatearousebraceenergizeenergiseperk up

   Examples

   A hot soup will revive me

   This will renovate my spirits

   More examples (1)

   This treatment repaired my health