sublimate
/ˈsʌb.lɪ.meɪt/ IELTSAcademic
verb
- 1.
To change a strong feeling or desire into another form, especially a more useful or acceptable one. Writers often use this in psychology or formal speech.
- She sublimated her anger into painting.
- He sublimated his ambition into hard work.
- They sublimated grief into quiet service.
- 2.
To change directly from a solid to a gas without becoming a liquid first. This is a scientific use.
- Dry ice sublimates quickly at room temperature.
- The solid sublimated during the experiment.
- Snow can sublimate in very dry air.
Adinary Nuance
Sublimate is more formal than channel or direct. It suggests a powerful feeling, like anger or desire, being transformed into something safer or more useful. In science, it has a specific meaning, so do not use it as a casual synonym for “evaporate.”
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- thăng hoa
- Spanish
- sublimar
- Chinese
- 升华
- Japanese
- 昇華する
- Korean
- 승화시키다
Etymology
It comes from Latin sublimatus, from sublimare, meaning “to raise up.” The word entered English in the late 1500s. Its science meaning came later, and its psychology meaning developed after that.
Common phrases
sublimate angersublimate desiresublimate into somethingsublimate under pressure
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is sublimate a formal word?
- Yes. It is mostly used in formal writing, psychology, and science.
- What is the difference between sublimate and channel?
- Channel is more common and general. Sublimate sounds more formal and suggests a deep feeling being transformed.
- Can I use sublimate in science?
- Yes. It means a solid changes directly into a gas.
- Is sublimate common in everyday English?
- Not very common. Many speakers know it, but they use simpler words in daily conversation.