Meaning & use
galvanize
Last updated
to shock or excite someone into taking action, or to coat iron or steel with a protective layer of zinc.
See it in a sentence
The coach's speech galvanized the team before the final match.
The factory galvanizes steel beams to protect them from rust.
A note on using this word
Its figurative sense (to inspire sudden action) is far more common in everyday writing than its original metallurgical meaning.
Words with a similar meaning
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Words with an opposite meaning
Another way to use it
2. verb
to coat iron or steel with zinc to protect it from rusting.
The fence posts were galvanized before being installed.
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