elevate

1 of 2

verb

el·​e·​vate ˈe-lə-ˌvāt 

elevated; elevating

transitive verb

1

: to lift up or make higher : raise

elevate a patient's leg

exercises that elevate the heart rate

2

: to raise in rank or status

was elevated to chairman

3

: to improve morally, intellectually, or culturally

great books that both entertain and elevate their readers

4

: to raise the spirits of : elate

intransitive verb

: to become elevated : rise

his voice elevated to a shout

elevate

2 of 2

adjective

el·​e·​vate ˈe-lə-ˌvāt 

-vət

archaic

: elevated

Synonyms of elevate

Verb

• excite
• elate
• intoxicate
• please
• delight

Choose the Right Synonym for elevate

lift, raise, rear, elevate, hoist, heave, boost mean to move from a lower to a higher place or position.

lift usually implies exerting effort to overcome resistance of weight.

lift the chair while I vacuum

raise carries a stronger implication of bringing up to the vertical or to a high position.

scouts raising a flagpole

rear may add an element of suddenness to raise.

suddenly reared itself up on its hind legs

elevate may replace lift or raise especially when exalting or enhancing is implied.

elevated the taste of the public

hoist implies lifting something heavy especially by mechanical means.

hoisted the cargo on board

heave implies lifting and throwing with great effort or strain.

heaved the heavy crate inside

boost suggests assisting to climb or advance by a push.

boosted his brother over the fence

Examples of elevate in a Sentence

Verb

exercises that elevate the heart rate

seeing their son ordained as a priest was one of the most elevating moments in their lives

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Also, the Corps can only accept homes to elevate that are already fully up to the latest version of the building code. — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026

The Daily Dividend Ahead of the Federal Reserve’s symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, July’s personal consumption expenditures price index released yesterday showed that inflation is still elevated. — Alex Harring, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026

The Property Masters Guild aims to highlight and elevate the craft of the Property Master by raising awareness, fostering collaboration among craft artisans, educating its members and inspiring future generations of Property Masters. — Isabelle Farina, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026

Curry never condescended to material, but consistently elevated scripts by taking them seriously. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 26 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Latin elevatus, past participle of elevare, from e- + levare to raise — more at lever

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for elevate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate
• angulate

Kids Definition

elevate

verb

el·​e·​vate

ˈel-ə-ˌvāt

elevated; elevating

1

: to lift up or make higher : raise

2

: to raise in rank or importance

3

: to improve the mind or spirits of

Etymology

Verb

Latin elevatus, past participle of elevare "to lift up," from e- "away" and levare "to raise" — related to lever