as in excites
to cause a pleasurable stimulation of the feelings
theatergoers were galvanized by the actor's powerhouse performance as Hamlet
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Recent Examples of galvanizes
These abuses include the murder of inmates’ infants, a fact that galvanizes the pregnant Alouette (the father of her child, Étienne, is a quarryman) into joining a plan for escape through the Paris sewers.
—
Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
The idea of a wide-open negotiation, of both personal identity and collective possibility, galvanizes the story that California tells about itself.
—Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
The idea of writing about him galvanizes her enough to go see Carol in her Manhattan office, a rarity.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025
There can also be some element of surprise in what most galvanizes a crowd.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 27 Sep. 2025
Slowly but surely, though, and with supreme awkwardness, Ned galvanizes the team.
—Michael M. Rosen, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
Now an island tradition, the organization galvanizes a record number of trans people each year to experience Fire Island, often for the first time.
—Fran Tirado, Them., 4 Sep. 2025
Scott’s bold move galvanizes them both, prompting Ilya to accept Shane’s invitation to join the Montreal player at his secluded lakeside cottage.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
The idea of a wide-open negotiation, of both personal identity and collective possibility, galvanizes the story that California tells about itself.
—Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
The idea of writing about him galvanizes her enough to go see Carol in her Manhattan office, a rarity.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025
There can also be some element of surprise in what most galvanizes a crowd.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 27 Sep. 2025
Slowly but surely, though, and with supreme awkwardness, Ned galvanizes the team.
—Michael M. Rosen, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
Now an island tradition, the organization galvanizes a record number of trans people each year to experience Fire Island, often for the first time.
—Fran Tirado, Them., 4 Sep. 2025
Scott’s bold move galvanizes them both, prompting Ilya to accept Shane’s invitation to join the Montreal player at his secluded lakeside cottage.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for galvanizes
Verb
-
Sonically, nothing jumps out and thrills, excites, or alarms.—
Mosi Reeves,
Rolling Stone,
9 Feb. 2026
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Sherman Fan owns and operates the restaurant and spoke about what excites him about the reopening.—
Stephanie Gallman Jordan,
Southern Living,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The mind thrills to imagine a genderless prophet among the brocades and buckskin breeches of Revolutionary America, weirding out the normies, sticking a flower in the barrel of a musket, and goading the new nation to let its hair down—literally.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
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Monfils draws and then thrills a crowd like few players on tour, producing impossible acts of tennis escapology and delivering winners from all corners of the court.—
James Hansen,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The star of Maggie Gyllenhaal's bold, new take on the Bride of Frankenstein electrifies in EW's cover story photoshoot.—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 Feb. 2026
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Seyfried’s performance elevates, even electrifies, the film, as does the decision to replicate Shaker worship through song and movement numbers, all of which are choreographed and performed to a spellbinding extent.—
Randy McMullen,
Mercury News,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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There’s a lot of fear of China in Japan, economically and militarily, and, even though people understand there’s interdependence between the two countries, Takaichi is seen as being willing to stand up to China, which inspires a kind of nationalism.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2026
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SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.—
Claire Cameron,
Scientific American,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Galvanizes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/galvanizes. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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