resuscitated; resuscitating
Synonyms of resuscitatenext

transitive verb

: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
He was pulled from the water by lifeguards but could not be resuscitated. Chip Alexander, Charlotte Observer, 12 Aug. 2026 The book resuscitates the childhood feeling that most of us spend our lives tamping down and dismissing, if not completely extinguishing. Chris Ware, The New York Review of Books, 12 Aug. 2026 Despite first responders’ efforts to resuscitate them, both victims died. David Chiu, PEOPLE, 6 Aug. 2026 Efforts to resuscitate her were not successful, and Cora was declared dead. Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for resuscitate

Word History

Etymology

Latin resuscitatus, past participle of resuscitare to reawaken, from re- + suscitare to rouse, from sub-, sus- up + citare to put in motion, stir — more at sub-, cite

First Known Use

1532, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of resuscitate was in 1532

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Resuscitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/resuscitate. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

Kids Definition

resuscitate

verb
resuscitated; resuscitating
1
: to bring back from apparent death or from unconsciousness
2

Medical Definition

resuscitate

transitive verb
resuscitated; resuscitating
: to revive from apparent death or from unconsciousness
resuscitate a nearly drowned person by artificial respiration

More from Merriam-Webster on resuscitate

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster