sublimate

C2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US verb /ˈsʌb.ləˌmeɪt/ noun /ˈsʌb.lə.mət/ UK verb /ˈsʌb.lɪ.meɪt/ noun /ˈsʌb.lɪ.mət/ See IPA manual

Freq #67396

Meanings

1

verb
psychology: to redirect an unacceptable impulse or desire into a socially acceptable or constructive activity

US /ˈsʌb.ləˌmeɪt/ UK /ˈsʌb.lɪ.meɪt/

She sublimated her anger into disciplined political organizing.
2

verb
chemistry: to change a solid directly into vapor, or cause it to do so, without passing through a liquid state

US /ˈsʌb.ləˌmeɪt/ UK /ˈsʌb.lɪ.meɪt/

Under low pressure, the frozen material will sublimate rather than melt.
3

verb
to purify, refine, or elevate something into a higher form

US /ˈsʌb.ləˌmeɪt/ UK /ˈsʌb.lɪ.meɪt/

The poet tried to sublimate private grief into art.
4

noun
a substance obtained or deposited through sublimation

US /ˈsʌb.lə.mət/ UK /ˈsʌb.lɪ.mət/

A white sublimate collected on the cooler wall of the vessel.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · psychology: to redirect an... channel redirect transform

2 verb · chemistry: to change a... sublime vaporize

3 verb · to purify, refine, or... refine elevate purify

4 noun · a substance obtained or... sublimation productdeposit

Opposites

indulge debase liquefy

Word family

Forms sublimated

Derived forms sublimationsublimative

Related forms sublime vapor deposition impulse

Etymology

From Latin sublimare, 'to raise or elevate,' from sublimis, 'high, uplifted.' Alchemy used the word for raising a substance as vapor and collecting it in purified form. Freud adopted the figurative idea for redirecting instinctive energy into culturally valued activity.

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# sublimate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈsʌb.ləˌmeɪt/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈsʌb.lɪ.meɪt/
**Frequency rank:** 67396

## Meanings
1. psychology: to redirect an unacceptable impulse or desire into a socially acceptable or constructive activity
2. chemistry: to change a solid directly into vapor, or cause it to do so, without passing through a liquid state
3. to purify, refine, or elevate something into a higher form
4. a substance obtained or deposited through sublimation

## Examples
- She sublimated her anger into disciplined political organizing.
- Under low pressure, the frozen material will sublimate rather than melt.
- The poet tried to sublimate private grief into art.
- A white sublimate collected on the cooler wall of the vessel.

## Synonyms
- channel
- redirect
- transform
- refine
- sublime

## Antonyms
- indulge
- debase
- liquefy

## Derived Forms
- sublimation
- sublimative

## Related Forms
- sublime
- vapor
- deposition
- impulse

## Etymology
From Latin sublimare, 'to raise or elevate,' from sublimis, 'high, uplifted.' Alchemy used the word for raising a substance as vapor and collecting it in purified form. Freud adopted the figurative idea for redirecting instinctive energy into culturally valued activity.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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