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Resuscitate

v. resilient, capable professional

What it means

To restore breathing, consciousness, life, or active operation.

Reach for it when describing urgent revival, literally or in a strong figurative sense

A trained passerby resuscitated the swimmer before the ambulance arrived.

Words to choose between 6

By register, from playful at the top to literary at the bottom. Tap a word to see when it fits.
playful
everyday
warm
professional
formal

  • playful

    bring around

    Fits when consciousness returns in informal speech

    Careful The phrase minimizes medical urgency.

  • everyday

    revive

    Fits when life or activity returns

    Careful Revive is less medically precise.

  • warm

    save

    Fits when a life is protected from danger

    Careful Saving is the outcome, not the procedure.

  • professional

    restart

    Fits when a stopped system operates again

    Careful Restart is unsuitable for clinical care.

  • formal

    reanimate

    Fits when lifelike activity is restored

    Careful Reanimate can sound fantastical.

  • formal

    restore

    Fits when function returns to a sound state

    Careful Restore does not imply near-death.

Opposites 3

  • suffocate
  • abandon
  • shut down

Common phrases 3

  • attempt to resuscitate

    Paramedics attempted to resuscitate the patient.

  • successfully resuscitate

    The crew successfully resuscitated the collapsed runner.

  • resuscitate the project

    New funding could resuscitate the stalled project.

Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Vealhurl, Southern England accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated