resuscitate
verb
re·sus·ci·tate
ri-ˈsə-sə-ˌtāt 
resuscitated; resuscitating
: to revive from apparent death or from unconsciousness
also
: revitalize
Did you know?
The 16th century was a good one for words ending in the suffix -ate. Not only did our featured word, resuscitate, breathe life into the English language but so did the verbs anticipate ("to give advance thought, discussion, or treatment to"), eradicate ("to do away with completely"), estimate ("to esteem" or "to appraise"), and perpetuate ("to make perpetual"). It was a good century for words about words, too—vocabulary, quip, and hearsay all premiered as well.
Examples of resuscitate in a Sentence
The patient stopped breathing but doctors were able to resuscitate him.
she hopes to resuscitate the currently defunct charity organization
Recent Examples on the Web
Politicians who should know better are presently floating the notion of penalizing some of the most crucial investing of all whereby capital is put to work to resuscitate what’s on life support, and much more challenging, enhance what’s already thriving.
—
John Tamny, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
Looking Ahead: After looking listless and broken for almost all of calendar year 2025, Cincinnati has ripped off a three-game winning streak to resuscitate its at-large hopes.
—Jim Root, The Athletic, 13 Feb. 2025
On-site medical staff attempted to resuscitate Scott while an ambulance was on the way, but he was declared dead around 8 a.m.
—Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 6 Feb. 2025
Senate Intel Chair Tom Cotton found a surprise ally in former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) to help resuscitate Tulsi Gabbard's nomination.
—Stef W. Kight, Axios, 4 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Resuscitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/resuscitate. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
Kids Definition
resuscitate
verb
re·sus·ci·tate
ri-ˈsəs-ə-ˌtāt
resuscitated; resuscitating
1
: to bring back from apparent death or from unconsciousness
2
Medical Definition
resuscitate
transitive verb
re·sus·ci·tate
ri-ˈsəs-ə-ˌtāt
resuscitated; resuscitating
: to revive from apparent death or from unconsciousness
resuscitate a nearly drowned person by artificial respiration
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