Word
resuscitate
Phoneticsre·sus·ci·tate, stress on the second syllable
US/ɹiˈsəsɪˌteɪt/
UK/ɹɪsˈʌsɪtˌeɪt/
Definition
v. to make someone alive or awake again after their heart or breathing has stopped, often with emergency medical help. You can also use it for bringing an old idea or project back to life.
v. to restore breathing, circulation, or consciousness in a person who is apparently dead or close to death, typically by emergency medical measures. Extends figuratively to reviving traditions, organizations, or practices after decline or neglect.
Examples
“Paramedics work hard to resuscitate the patient.”
“The lifeguards pulled the swimmer from the pool and tried to resuscitate him before the ambulance arrived.”
“After the funding collapse, the new director hoped to resuscitate the theatre company by restoring its original repertoire and community outreach.”
Examples
simple
“Paramedics work hard to resuscitate the patient.”
contextual
“The lifeguards pulled the swimmer from the pool and tried to resuscitate him before the ambulance arrived.”
complex
“After the funding collapse, the new director hoped to resuscitate the theatre company by restoring its original repertoire and community outreach.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “resuscitate” in context.
Verb
01. fail to resuscitate
“Doctors failed to resuscitate the patient despite prolonged CPR.”
verb + to + verb
02. manage to resuscitate
“The team managed to resuscitate the climber after the avalanche.”
verb + to + verb
03. resuscitate economy
“The government launched reforms to resuscitate the economy.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. desperately resuscitate
“Nurses desperately resuscitated the newborn for almost ten minutes.”
adv + verb
05. miraculously resuscitate
“The baby was miraculously resuscitated after nearly drowning in the pool.”
adv + verb
Noun
06. attempt to resuscitate
“His attempt to resuscitate the old magazine ended in failure.”
noun + to + verb
07. decision to resuscitate
“The family faced a painful decision to resuscitate their father.”
noun + to + verb
08. effort to resuscitate
“Every effort to resuscitate the infant was documented in detail.”
noun + to + verb
09. attempt to resuscitate victim
“Bystanders attempted to resuscitate the victim before help arrived.”
10. fail to resuscitate patient
“The surgeons failed to resuscitate the patient after cardiac arrest.”
11. make effort to resuscitate
“Rescuers made every effort to resuscitate the drowned teenager.”
12. resuscitate dying career
“The actor hoped a new role would resuscitate his dying career.”
Usage
The verb is transitive and takes a direct object.
Real-World Examples
“In the UK alone, there are more than 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests a year where emergency medical services attempt to resuscitate the individual, according to the British Heart Foundation.” “Now, following a 10-year limbo, Playground is resuscitating the dormant series.” “The 31-year-old, from Rutherglen in South Lanarkshire, received CPR but doctors were unable to resuscitate her.” “The baby was born with a pulse, but was not breathing; paramedics were unable to resuscitate him.” Etymology
From Latin resuscitātus, past participle of resuscitō (“to raise up again, revive”), from re- (“again”) + suscitō (“to raise up”), from sub- (“up, under”) + citō (“to summon, rouse”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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