Standard Lemma guide

galvanize

verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈɡælvənaɪ̯z/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: G AE1 L V AH0 N AY2 Z Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To coat with a layer of metal by electrochemical means.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly, dated, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: electrogalvanize, electroplate

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To coat with a layer of metal by electrochemical means.

To coat with a layer of zinc (for rust resistance) by electrochemical means.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly, dated, transitive, usually

Examples

  • We then galvanize the steel so that the zinc coating will sacrificially take the corrosion for many years.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: electrogalvanize, electroplate, zinc

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: electroplate

3

verb

Meaning 3

To shock or stimulate into sudden activity, as if by electric shock.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, transitive

Examples

  • The girl’s picture helped galvanize public opinion against the administration’s policy.
  • Republicans are hoping a proposed gas-tax repeal will galvanize their voters.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: animate, electrify, startle, urge, awaken, enflame, enkindle, enthrill, exagitate, excite, exhilarate, exsuscitate, fillip, fire, fire the blood, galvanize, gin up, ignite, inflame, intoxicate, kindle, quicken, rouse, send, set fire to, set on fire, sharpen, stir the blood, suscitate, thrill, vitalise, wake, warm the blood, whet, wind up, work up, yerk, abet, actuate, goose, fuel, light a fire under, sting, bring about, cheer, draw, drive, encourage, egg on, engender, evoke, foment, goad, grill, impel, incite, induce, instigate, invoke, lash, motive, motivate, move, obligate, oblige, push, promote, prompt, provoke, set off, spark off, spur, spur on, stimulate, stir, stir up, stoke, tempt, whip up

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To electrify, as by galvanism.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: electricalize, electricize, electrize

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To switch sides between Union and Confederate in the American Civil War.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, historical, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

stimulate (muscles) by administering a shock

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: galvanise

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: shock

7

verb

Meaning 7

cover with zinc

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • galvanize steel

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: galvanise

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: coat, surface

8

verb

Meaning 8

to stimulate to action

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • ..startled him awake
  • galvanized into action

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: startle, galvanise

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: shock, floor, ball over, blow out of the water, take aback

History

Etymology

From French galvaniser, from galvanisme, named after Italian physiologist Luigi Aloisio Galvani (1737–1798). By surface analysis, galvano- + -ize.

Across languages

Translations

72 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: поцинковам (pocinkovam) — to coat with rust-resistant zinc
  • Catalan: galvanitzar — to coat with rust-resistant zinc
  • Chinese Mandarin: 鍍鋅 /镀锌 (dùxīn) — to coat with rust-resistant zinc
  • Danish: forzinke — to coat with rust-resistant zinc
  • Danish: galvanisere — to coat with rust-resistant zinc
  • Dutch: verzinken — to coat with rust-resistant zinc
  • Esperanto: galvanizi — to coat with rust-resistant zinc
  • Estonian: galvaniseerima — to coat with rust-resistant zinc
  • Faroese: málmklæða — to coat with rust-resistant zinc
  • Finnish: galvanoida — to coat with rust-resistant zinc
  • French: galvaniser — to coat with rust-resistant zinc
  • German: verzinken — to coat with rust-resistant zinc
  • Greek: γαλβανίζω (galvanízo) — to coat with rust-resistant zinc
  • Italian: galvanizzare — to coat with rust-resistant zinc
  • Norwegian Bokmål: forsinke — to coat with rust-resistant zinc
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: forsinka — to coat with rust-resistant zinc
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: forsinke — to coat with rust-resistant zinc
  • Portuguese: galvanizar — to coat with rust-resistant zinc
  • Russian: оцинко́вывать (ocinkóvyvatʹ) — to coat with rust-resistant zinc
  • Russian: оцинкова́ть (ocinkovátʹ) — to coat with rust-resistant zinc
  • Spanish: galvanizar — to coat with rust-resistant zinc
  • Swedish: galvanisera — to coat with rust-resistant zinc
  • Bulgarian: галванизирам (galvaniziram) — to coat with a thin layer of metal by electrochemical means
  • Catalan: galvanitzar — to coat with a thin layer of metal by electrochemical means
  • Chinese Mandarin: 電鍍 /电镀 (diàndù) — to coat with a thin layer of metal by electrochemical means
  • Czech: galvanizovat — to coat with a thin layer of metal by electrochemical means
  • Danish: galvanisere — to coat with a thin layer of metal by electrochemical means
  • Dutch: galvaniseren — to coat with a thin layer of metal by electrochemical means
  • Dutch: verzinken — to coat with a thin layer of metal by electrochemical means
  • Esperanto: galvanizi — to coat with a thin layer of metal by electrochemical means
  • Estonian: galvaniseerima — to coat with a thin layer of metal by electrochemical means
  • Finnish: galvanoida — to coat with a thin layer of metal by electrochemical means
  • French: galvaniser — to coat with a thin layer of metal by electrochemical means
  • Georgian: გალვანიზება (galvanizeba) — to coat with a thin layer of metal by electrochemical means
  • German: galvanisieren — to coat with a thin layer of metal by electrochemical means
  • Greek: γαλβανίζω (galvanízo) — to coat with a thin layer of metal by electrochemical means
  • Italian: galvanizzare — to coat with a thin layer of metal by electrochemical means
  • Japanese: 活性化する (kasseika suru) — to coat with a thin layer of metal by electrochemical means
  • Portuguese: galvanizar — to coat with a thin layer of metal by electrochemical means
  • Russian: гальванизи́ровать (galʹvanizírovatʹ) — to coat with a thin layer of metal by electrochemical means
  • Spanish: galvanizar — to coat with a thin layer of metal by electrochemical means
  • Swedish: galvanisera — to coat with a thin layer of metal by electrochemical means
  • Bulgarian: съживявам (sǎživjavam) — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • Bulgarian: съживя (sǎživja) — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • Bulgarian: оживявам (oživjavam) — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • Bulgarian: оживя (oživja) — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • Catalan: galvanitzar — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • Esperanto: galvanizi — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • Estonian: galvaniseerima — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • Finnish: sähköistää — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • French: galvaniser — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • Georgian: გამოცოცხლება (gamococxleba) — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • Georgian: წახალისება (c̣axaliseba) — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • Georgian: მოტივირება (moṭivireba) — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • German: aufrütteln — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • German: aufschrecken — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • German: wachrütteln — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • German: einen Impuls setzen — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • German: beleben — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • Greek: ξεσηκώνω (xesikóno) — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • Italian: galvanizzare — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • Italian: stimolare — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • Italian: spingere — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • Italian: incitare — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • Italian: spronare — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • Italian: elettrizzare — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • Russian: оживля́ть (oživljátʹ) — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • Russian: оживи́ть (oživítʹ) — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • Spanish: galvanizar — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • Spanish: espabilar — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • Spanish: asustar — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity
  • Spanish: estimular — to shock or stimulate into sudden activity