electrify
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to charge with or subject to electricity; apply electricity to.
-
to supply (a region, community, etc.) with electric power.
The valley wasn't electrified until 1936.
-
to equip for the use of electric power, as a railroad.
-
to excite greatly; thrill.
to electrify an audience.
verb
-
to adapt or equip (a system, device, etc) for operation by electrical power
-
to charge with or subject to electricity
-
to startle or excite intensely; shock or thrill
Other Word Forms
- electrifiable adjective
- electrification noun
- electrifier noun
- nonelectrification noun
- nonelectrified adjective
- proelectrification adjective
- reelectrification noun
- reelectrify verb (used with object)
- unelectrified adjective
- unelectrifying adjective
Etymology
Origin of electrify
Explanation
Electrify means to make something electric — either literally or figuratively. You can electrify a house by wiring it so the occupants will have lights, or you can electrify a boring party by getting everyone laughing. A captivating person might electrify every room she enters. Maybe it’s her laugh, maybe it’s the way she talks with her hands, maybe it’s the zany scarves she wears. Something about her gets everyone going. In a related sense, electrify can also describe what the electrician does to a house — she wires it so that the lights, computers, and television can all be plugged in and operate properly.
Vocabulary lists containing electrify
"The Civil Rights Movement"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for October 2–October 8, 2021
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Beta Technologies rallied 16% after Amazon.com disclosed a stake in the aerospace start-up, which is working to electrify aircrafts.
From Barron's • Feb. 11, 2026
Layers of silent tension electrify the air throughout these early hours.
From Salon • Jan. 8, 2026
FedEx said its order for Harbinger vehicles is part of the company’s plan to fully electrify its pickup and delivery fleet by 2040.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 13, 2025
Up there, the obvious place to seek shelter is under a rock, but that’s not a great idea because lightning can electrify granite — especially wet granite.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 15, 2025
There's a clap of thunder, and I see lightning electrify the sky through an opening in the rocks.
From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
