rejuvenate

verb

re·​ju·​ve·​nate ri-ˈjü-və-ˌnāt 

rejuvenated; rejuvenating

transitive verb

1

a

: to make young or youthful again : give new vigor to

b

: to restore to an original or new state

rejuvenate old cars

2

a

: to stimulate (a stream) to renewed erosive activity especially by uplift

b

: to develop youthful features of topography in

intransitive verb

: to cause or undergo rejuvenescence

rejuvenator

ri-ˈjü-və-ˌnā-tər 

noun

Did you know?

The word rejuvenate is intended for mature audiences—that is, it applies to people and things that are no longer green to this world. While there is no true Fountain of Youth that can turn back the clock, rejuvenation can at least restore a bit of youthful appearance, health, or vigor. Rejuvenate originated as a combination of the prefix re-, which means "again," and the Latin juvenis, meaning "young." (It will come as no surprise that juvenis is also an ancestor of juvenile and junior). Its first-known use in the mid-18th century was in reference to "certain Potions" rejuvenating "the noble Parts" of those suffering prolonged ailments, but it didn't take long for the word to see life outside of medical contexts. Today one might rejuvenate an old car with a fresh coat of paint, a losing football team with a new quarterback, or depleted soil with some nitrogen-fixing legumes, to name just a few examples.

Did you know?

Juvenis, Latin for "young", can be seen in a word such as juvenile. Rejuvenation is something that can be carried out on a creaky old house, a clunker of a car, a sluggish career, a weak economy, or a company that's lost its edge, but rejuvenate and rejuvenation are probably used most often for talking about our physical selves. Ads for lotions promise skin rejuvenation; diet-book covers show rejuvenated (or maybe just young) models bursting with health. We still seem to be searching for that "Fuente de la Juventud" that Juan Ponce de León failed to discover five hundred years ago.

Synonyms

• freshen
• recharge
• recreate
• refresh
• refreshen
• regenerate
• renew
• repair
• restore
• resuscitate
• revitalize
• revive
• revivify

Choose the Right Synonym for rejuvenate

renew, restore, refresh, renovate, rejuvenate mean to make like new.

renew implies a restoration of what had become faded or disintegrated so that it seems like new.

efforts to renew the splendor of the old castle

restore implies a return to an original state after depletion or loss.

restored a fine piece of furniture

refresh implies the supplying of something necessary to restore lost strength, animation, or power.

a refreshing drink

renovate suggests a renewing by cleansing, repairing, or rebuilding.

the apartment has been entirely renovated

rejuvenate suggests the restoration of youthful vigor, powers, or appearance.

the change in jobs rejuvenated her spirits

Examples of rejuvenate in a Sentence

The spa treatment rejuvenated me.

Each candidate claims to have a plan to rejuvenate the sagging economy.

Her efforts to rejuvenate her career have so far been unsuccessful.

Recent Examples on the Web

The experience was rejuvenating and grounding, a perfect way to soak in the tranquility of this one-of-a-kind resort. —Holly Robinson Peete, Newsweek, 22 Dec. 2024

Five months ago, some fans would have considered selling the Spain international after three seasons struggling with injuries, but he is rejuvenated since Flick arrived. —Pol Ballús, The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024

Reviews say the gentle formula leaves skin feeling rejuvenated. —Kat Romero, Rolling Stone, 20 Dec. 2024

His 1980s comeback, after a decade of Marxist-collective wilderness experimentation, was aesthetically rejuvenated. —Armond White, National Review, 20 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

re- + Latin juvenis young — more at young

First Known Use

1742, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

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Kids Definition

rejuvenate

verb

re·​ju·​ve·​nate ri-ˈjü-və-ˌnāt 

rejuvenated; rejuvenating

: to make young or youthful again : give new vigor to

rejuvenation

-ˌjü-və-ˈnā-shən 

noun

rejuvenator

-ˈjü-və-ˌnāt-ər 

noun

Medical Definition

rejuvenate

verb

re·​ju·​ve·​nate ri-ˈjü-və-ˌnāt 

rejuvenated; rejuvenating

transitive verb

: to make young or youthful again

specifically : to restore sexual vigor in (as by hormones or an operation)

intransitive verb

: to cause or undergo a renewal of youthfulness

rejuvenation

ri-ˌjü-və-ˈnā-shən, ˌrē- 

noun

rejuvenator

ri-ˈjü-və-ˌnāt-ər 

noun