Synonyms of animate
120 similar words · 60 opposite words
Another word for animate is animated. Other synonyms of animate are moving, mobile, extant, dynamic and motive. The opposite of animate is fixed.
Synonyms and similar words for animate
adjectiveThat lives.
- alive
- living
- vitalContaining life; living.
- above ground figuratively
- alive and kickingHealthy; vital; in good health, particularly in opposition to unfavorable circumstances.
- alive and wellSynonym of alive and kicking.
- animatedEndowed with life.
- extantStill alive; not extinct.
- kicking slang
- live
- livesomeHaving the characteristics of life or of being alive; indicative of life or of living; livable.
- still with us
- survivingContinuing to live or to exist.
- undeceased
- vitalic
- lively archaic
- quick archaic
adjectivePossessing the quality or ability of motion.
- dynamicChanging; active; in motion.
- kineticRelating to motion.
- motileIn organisms: having the power to move spontaneously.
- afoot figurativelyThat is on foot, in motion, in action, in progress.
- astirIn motion; characterized by motion.
- in motionMoving; having movement; on the move; not stationary.
- mobileCapable of being moved, especially on wheels.
- movingThat moves or move.
- on the moveChanging location; in motion.
- on the wing figuratively
- under sail figuratively
- unstillNot still; changing or in motion.
- ambulatoryAccustomed to move from place to place; not stationary; movable.
- motiveCausing motion; having power to move, or tending to move.
- movable
- vagileFree to move about.
- cursory obsoleteRunning about; not stationary.
adjectiveDynamic, energetic.
- perky
- vivacious
- active
- energetic
- abuzzCharacterized by a high level of activity or gossip; in a buzz (“feeling or rush of energy or excitement”), buzzing.
- agile
- airy
- brisk
- busy
- busy as a beeVery active; working constantly.
- buxom
- buzzingVery happy; full of joyful excitement.
- diligentPerforming with industrious concentration; hard-working and focused.
- driven
- driving
- eager
- effervescentVivacious and enthusiastic.
- enthusiastic
- expeditious
- frisky
- gay
- genkiPlayful and hyperactive.
- glowing
- happy
- heartyEnergetic, active or eager.
- impetuous
- industriousHard-working and persistent.
- keen
- merryBrisk.
- motivatedEnthusiastic, especially about striving toward a goal.
- nimble
- peppyFull of pep; energetic, cheerful, and vigorous; bouncy.
- restive
- sassy
- snappy
- spiritedLively, vigorous, animated or courageous.
- sprightly
- spry
- vibrant
- vigorous
- vivid
- wantonPlayful, sportive; merry or carefree.
- youthfulYoung or seeming young.
- zealousFull of zeal; ardent, fervent; exhibiting enthusiasm or strong passion, particularly in matters of religion.
- zestfulHaving a spirited love of life; ebullient, zesty.
- zippy informalEnergetic and lively.
- sprunt obsolete
verbTo impart motion or the appearance of motion to.
- get going
- impel
- actuateTo activate, or to put into motion; to animate.
- drive
- force
- motivateTo animate; to propel; to cause to take action.
- press
- propel
- put in motionSynonym of set in motion.
- set in motionTo trigger movement or progress; to get going.
verbTo give spirit or vigour to; to stimulate or enliven; to inspirit.
- enlivenTo give life or spirit to; to revive or animate.
- vitaliseTo make more vigorous; to invigorate or stimulate.
- arouseTo stimulate or induce (feelings); pique.
- awaken figurativelyTo bring into action (something previously dormant); to stimulate.
- beghastTo fill with shock, awe, wonder, or amazement; inspire; enthuse.
- leaven
- brightOften followed by up: to cause (someone or something) to be bright (in various senses); to brighten; specifically, to...
- brighten figuratively
- cheerTo infuse life, courage, animation, or hope, into; to inspirit; to solace or comfort.
- energize
- enthuse
- exalt
- exciteTo arouse or bring out (e.g. feelings); to stimulate.
- fire upTo excite; to infuse with energy.
- ginger
- ginger upTo make something more interesting, fun, lively, etc.
- inflame figurativelyTo excite or intensify (a feeling, such as an appetite or passion), especially to an excessive or unnatural level.
- invigorate
- inspireTo breathe into; to fill with the breath; to animate.
- inspirit
- jazz
- kindle figurativelyTo arouse or inspire (a passion, etc).
- livenTo cause to be more lively, or to become more lively.
- liven upTo improve a person's mood by making them more energetic.
- perk up
- quickenTo put (someone or something) in a state of activity or vigour comparable to life; to excite, to rouse.
- spice
- spice up
- stimulateTo arouse an organism to functional activity.
Opposite of animate
adjectiveThat lives.
- inanimateNot animate.
- lifeless
- asleep euphemistic
- at rest euphemistic
- blessed euphemisticElect or saved after death; hence (euphemistic) dead.
- cadaverousCorpselike; hinting of death; imitating a cadaver.
- clay-coldAs cold as clay; lifeless.
- deceased
- breathless literary
- resting
- cold
- decomposed
- defunct
- departed
- expired
- extinctOf customs, ideas, laws and legal rights, offices, organizations, languages, etc.: no longer existing or in use...
- gone
- good
- inert
- kaputOut of order; not working.
- killed
- late
- living impairedDead.
- low
- no longer with us
- no more
- perished
- reposing
- six feet deepSynonym of six feet under.
- six feet underBuried underground; not alive; dead.
- stiff
- unalive
- unalived
- wasted
- with GodDead; deceased.
- fey obsolete
- whilom obsolete
adjectivePossessing the quality or ability of motion.
- sessilePermanently attached to a substrate; not free to move about.
- staticImmobile; fixed in place; having no motion.
- dull
- impassive
- motionlessAt rest, stationary, immobile, not moving.
- sedentary
- stationaryNot moving.
- still
- stock-stillVery still; motionless.
- torpid
- unmoved
- unmoving
- fixedUnable to move; unmovable.
- immobileFixed, not movable.
- immotileNot motile (lacking the ability to move).
- immovableIncapable of being physically moved: fixed.
- rigidFixed, rather than moving.
- stuck
- unmovable
- unmoveableNot able to be moved; immobile.
- sedent archaicSitting; inactive or still.
Meaning of animate
- adjective That lives.
- adjective That has (or is believed to have) a spirit (anima) and/or some amount of consciousness and sentience, either being alive or supernaturally seeming alive.
- adjective Possessing the quality or ability of motion.
animate in other languages
Questions about synonyms of animate
- What is another word for animate?
- Animate has 120 synonyms on Word.ws, such as animated, moving, mobile, extant, dynamic, motive, kinetic and vital.
- What is the opposite of animate?
- The opposite of animate is fixed. Other antonyms of animate are inanimate, stationary, static, immobile and immovable.
- What does animate mean?
- Animate means that lives.
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: animate (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
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Cite this page: “Synonyms of animate.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/animate. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.