SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
sublimate
verb
To redirect an impulse into a socially acceptable or constructive activity.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Redirect an impulse
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topSublimate here channels an impulse into an acceptable or constructive activity. Suppress would mean inhibiting expression, not necessarily transforming its outlet.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See sublimate in use
The character tries to sublimate his frustration through music.
Nico tried to sublimate his urge to dominate every contest by designing cooperative challenges that rewarded the whole group's progress.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license