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
Over the next year, the singer briefly entered a rehab facility in Spain, without completing the treatment, and was hospitalized in April 2024 after relapsing again, reportedly requiring hospital staff to resuscitate him to save his life.
—
Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 11 Feb. 2025
Ahead of the Newcastle tie, The Athletic were invited behind the scenes for deeper discussions with the people attempting to resuscitate a club that has languished outside England’s top flight since 2011.
—Gregg Evans, The Athletic, 6 Feb. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for resuscitate
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Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 11 Feb. 2025
Ahead of the Newcastle tie, The Athletic were invited behind the scenes for deeper discussions with the people attempting to resuscitate a club that has languished outside England’s top flight since 2011.
—Gregg Evans, The Athletic, 6 Feb. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for resuscitate
Cite this Entry
“Resuscitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/resuscitate. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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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