Revive vs. Revivify — What's the Difference?
By Maham Liaqat & Urooj Arif — Updated on May 1, 2024
"Revive" means to bring back to life or consciousness, focusing on complete recovery; "Revivify" specifically implies giving new life or vigor, often partially or temporarily.
Difference Between Revive and Revivify
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
"Revive" is commonly used to describe the act of restoring someone or something to life or consciousness after a period of inactivity or apparent death, whereas "Revivify" suggests the process of imparting new life, energy, or freshness to something that may not be completely inert.
"Revive" encompasses medical, emotional, and ecological contexts, indicating a return to a previous state of health or activity, on the other hand, "Revivify" is more focused on injecting vitality or vigor rather than full restoration.
In literature, "revive" often appears when discussing themes of recovery or renewal, such as reviving a forgotten custom. Conversely, "Revivify" is used to describe the action of making something more appealing or lively, without necessarily restoring it fully.
"Revive" can also mean the re-establishment of ideas, practices, or trends that were once popular, while "Revivify" might be used to describe making these ideas more interesting or relevant to contemporary tastes without the full original form.
"Revive" is frequently used in health care to indicate bringing a person back from the brink of death or unconsciousness, whereas "Revivify" might be applied in contexts like rejuvenating someone’s spirit or interest briefly.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Restore to life or consciousness.
Impart new life or energy, not necessarily complete
Focus
Full recovery or restoration.
Adding vigor or energy, often partial.
Common Usage
Health care, ecological restoration, cultural revival
Adding freshness or appeal, temporary energizing.
Temporality
Long-term or permanent.
Often temporary or partial.
Intensity of Restoration
Complete restoration of previous state.
Enhancement or improvement of current state.
Compare with Definitions
Revive
Restore interest in or the popularity of.
The festival helped revive interest in traditional crafts.
Revivify
Energize or invigorate.
His pep talk was meant to revivify the weary team.
Revive
Bring back to life.
Paramedics worked to revive the unconscious man.
Revivify
Give new life or vitality.
The renovation project will revivify the old neighborhood.
Revive
Refresh or renew.
A shower and coffee were all he needed to revive himself.
Revivify
Refresh or rejuvenate.
A nap might revivify you after the long journey.
Revive
Reactivate or restart.
They decided to revive the defunct software project.
Revivify
Renew interest or excitement.
The new exhibit aims to revivify public interest in ancient history.
Revive
Reinvigorate or energize.
The team's new coach hoped to revive their spirits.
Revivify
Make something appealing again.
New graphics and features were added to revivify the classic game.
Revive
To bring back to life or consciousness; resuscitate
Revived the passenger who fainted.
Revivify
To impart new life, energy, or spirit to
A new leader who revivified the movement.
A celebration that revivified our spirits.
Revive
To give new health, strength, or spirit to
Was revived by the long shower.
A speech that revived morale.
Revivify
(transitive) To reanimate, bring back to life.
Revive
To restore to use, currency, activity, or notice
Revived a fad from the 1980s.
Revivify
(transitive) To reinvigorate or revitalize.
Revive
To present (an old play, for example) again.
Revivify
To reactivate (a catalyst, reagent etc.).
Revive
To renew in the mind; recall
An experience that revived a bad memory.
Revivify
To become effective again as a reagent etc.
Revive
To return to life or consciousness
The patient revived after the anesthetic wore off.
Revivify
To cause to revive.
Some association may revivify it enough to make it flash, after a long oblivion, into consciousness.
Revive
To regain health, vigor, or good spirits
We only revived after the heat wave broke.
Revivify
Give new life or energy to;
A hot soup will revive me
This will renovate my spirits
This treatment repaired my health
Revive
To return to use, currency, activity, or notice
His interest in sculpture revived late in life.
Revive
(intransitive) To return to life; to become reanimated or reinvigorated.
Revive
(transitive) To return to life; to cause to recover life or strength; to cause to live anew, or to prevent from dying.
The dying puppy was revived by a soft hand.
Her grandmother refused to be revived if she lost consciousness.
Revive
(ambitransitive) To recover from a state of oblivion, obscurity, neglect, or depression.
Classical learning revived in the fifteenth century.
The Manx language has been revived after dying out and is now taught in some schools on the Isle of Man.
Revive
To restore, or bring again to life; to reanimate; to make lively again.
This new paint job should revive the surgery waiting room.
Revive
(transitive) To raise from coma, languor, depression, or discouragement; to bring into action after a suspension.
Revive
(transitive) To renew in the mind or memory; to bring to recollection; to recall attention to; to reawaken.
The Harry Potter films revived the world's interest in wizardry
Revive
(intransitive) To recover its natural or metallic state (e.g. a metal)
Revive
(transitive) To restore or reduce to its natural or metallic state
To revive a metal after calcination
Revive
To return to life; to recover life or strength; to live anew; to become reanimated or reinvigorated.
The Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into again, and he revived.
Revive
Hence, to recover from a state of oblivion, obscurity, neglect, or depression; as, classical learning revived in the fifteenth century.
Revive
To recover its natural or metallic state, as a metal.
Revive
To restore, or bring again to life; to reanimate.
Those bodies, by reason of whose mortality we died, shall be revived.
Revive
To raise from coma, languor, depression, or discouragement; to bring into action after a suspension.
Those gracious words revive my drooping thoughts.
Your coming, friends, revives me.
Revive
Hence, to recover from a state of neglect or disuse; as, to revive letters or learning.
Revive
To renew in the mind or memory; to bring to recollection; to recall attention to; to reawaken.
The mind has a power in many cases to revive perceptions which it has once had.
Revive
To restore or reduce to its natural or metallic state; as, to revive a metal after calcination.
Revive
Cause to regain consciousness;
The doctors revived the comatose man
Revive
Give new life or energy to;
A hot soup will revive me
This will renovate my spirits
This treatment repaired my health
Revive
Be brought back to life, consciousness, or strength;
Interest in ESP revived
Revive
Restore from a depressed, inactive, or unused state;
He revived this style of opera
He resurrected the tango in this remote part of Argentina
Revive
Return to consciousness;
The patient came to quickly
She revived after the doctor gave her an injection
Common Curiosities
Can revive and revivify be used interchangeably?
While they can sometimes be used interchangeably, especially in casual speech, their nuances mean they are not always perfect substitutes.
In what contexts is revive most appropriately used?
Revive is most appropriately used in medical, ecological, and cultural contexts where full recovery or restoration is implied.
In what contexts is revivify most appropriately used?
Revivify is best used when referring to adding energy, freshness, or new appeal, often in artistic, literary, or motivational contexts.
What is the main difference between revive and revivify?
Revive implies a complete restoration to a previous state of life or activity, while revivify focuses on imparting energy or vigor, often temporarily.
How does revive differ from revivify in medical terms?
In medical terms, revive usually refers to restoring consciousness or life, such as in CPR, whereas revivify might be used more metaphorically to describe boosting someone's energy or spirits.
Is revivify always temporary in its effects?
Revivify often implies a temporary or partial addition of new life or energy, but the duration can vary depending on the context and specific application.
Does revive always entail a return to a previous condition?
Yes, revive generally involves a return to a previously functioning or healthier state, whether it's in terms of health, ecological balance, or cultural interest.
Can revivify apply to physical health?
While revivify is less commonly used in strictly medical contexts compared to revive, it can be used metaphorically to describe the process of making someone feel more energetic or lively.
How do revive and revivify compare in their etymology?
Both words have roots in Latin, with "revive" coming from "revivere" (to live again) and "revivify" from "vivificare" (to make alive), reflecting their slightly different focuses in usage.
Can objects or ideas be revivified, or is the term only applicable to living things?
Objects or ideas can indeed be revivified, as the term is often used to describe revitalizing things that are not alive, such as traditions, artworks, or urban areas.
Are there industries or professions where one term is preferred over the other?
In medical and ecological fields, "revive" is more commonly used, while in arts and motivational speaking, "revivify" might be preferred for its connotations of injecting new life or energy.
What are some synonyms for revive and revivify?
For revive, synonyms include resuscitate, rejuvenate, and renew. For revivify, synonyms include reanimate, refresh, and invigorate.
Can revive be used in technology contexts?
Yes, revive can be used in technology contexts to describe bringing back outdated software, systems, or practices, usually with updates or improvements to fit modern needs.
What impact do these words have in literary or artistic descriptions?
In literary or artistic contexts, revive might be used to describe a broader, deeper, or more complete return to form, while revivify might focus more on adding vibrancy or enhancing aesthetic qualities.
What is the impact of using revive vs. revivify in a motivational context?
In motivational contexts, using "revive" suggests a restoration to former glories or states, ideal for encouraging a return to peak performance, while "revivify" might be more about injecting new energy or enthusiasm, useful for inspiring new directions or innovations.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
