ANIMATES Synonyms: 126 Similar and Opposite Words

animates

verb

present tense third-person singular of animate

as in stimulates

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

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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 animates With each turn of a page, the book animates the material praxis of his process. — Brianna J. Heath, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026 The drama that animates Mud is a Sisyphean one, and Wolf casts herself as agent of her own embarrassment and woe. — Enzo Escober, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026 Its legacy animates both movements seeking greater inclusion and campaigns promising to restore a national unity defined in racial or cultural terms. — Faisal Devji, Time, 11 Sep. 2026 The commitment to community, education, engagement and artistry that animates the college and its arts center, also animates BTE, said Millhouse. — Barbara Vitello, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026 In this way, the franchise still animates the country’s relationship with mainstream fare. — Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 13 Aug. 2026 That question animates the latest project from Dan Taberski, the creator of Missing Richard Simmons, Running from Cops, 9/12, and Hysterical. — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026 The movie doesn’t shy away from letting Tony make mistakes—at times, the character edges toward outright villainy—and Banderas animates Chef with a contrasting moral clarity whose force feels almost physical. — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2026 Listening to his composition, I am struck by its beauty, craftsmanship, and the unmistakable sense of wonder that animates it. — Pat Saperstein, Variety, 10 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for animates

Verb

As the cooling metal tool depuffs swollen tissues and stimulates microcirculation, the peptide-rich cream works beneath the surface to rebuild structural volume.

— Christa Joanna Lee, Glamour, 23 Oct. 2026
Stronger muscles put more tension on the bones, which stimulates greater bone cell turnover.

— Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of stimulates

Verb

More than three devices is considered a cluster that arouses interest.

— Carolyn Forché, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
That intense scarcity arouses a FOMO among very wealthy car lovers that allows Ferrari to charge prices like $250,000 for one of its entry-level cars, and $3 million for a hypercar like its F80.

— Phil Wahba, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025

Definition of arouses

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animateness

animates

animating

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“Animates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/animates. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of animates

verb

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