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to galvanize support

to galvanize support

1 5.8
To make people excited and ready to help a cause
  • phrasal verb
  • /ˈɡælvəˌnaɪz səˈpɔrt/
translation icon : movilizar apoyo
  • The educator galvanized support from both sides of the color line: from northern white benefactors and southern white political and industrial leaders on one side, to black educators, religious leaders, benevolent societies, and the black press on the other.

Examples

  • They also fight for our budgets and spaces and galvanize community support in the face of closures and cutbacks.

    Blog text (30)
  • The Clinton administration used the rogue state rubric to galvanize support for its policies.

    Academic text (2001)
  • If enough states galvanize public support, Congress will pass it.

    Blog text (31)
  • Now is the perfect time to galvanize support across the country and prove that prohibition does not work.

    Blog text (21)
  • The tragedy could also galvanize support for Positive Train Control, a technology to prevent rail accidents caused by human error.

    Blog text (11)
  • In the five years that ensued, he helped galvanize public support for those seriously wounded in the service of the country.

    Blog text (5)
  • The initiative aims to galvanize support and commitments from member states, U.N. sister agencies, the private sector, and non-profit organizations to provide quality education for every child.

    Blog text (20)
  • As in most protest organizing in Arab countries, the mosques played a key role in galvanizing Lebanese support for the anti-Assad movement.

    Academic text (2012)
  • Ironically, then, the same cult of Matilda that earlier may have inspired Lucrezia's donation for the new church seems to have galvanized support for the preservation of the old one.

    Academic text (1999)
  • The charity's new campaign aims to galvanize support for ending food insecurity in the community.

Synonyms

to drive
vsto galvanize support
3.6

To cause someone to want to do something strongly

encourages voluntary excitement and active support rather than compelling action
to inspire
vsto galvanize support
837 3.2

Cause someone to feel excited and ready to act

triggers public excitement and active backing, not just private motivation
to motivate
vsto galvanize support
437 3.5

Make someone want to do something

creates collective excitement and visible support rather than supplying reasons
to spur
vsto galvanize support
81 4.1

To encourage someone to take action or try harder

creates wider enthusiasm and active backing, not only a prompt to act
to canvass
vsto galvanize support
52 6.3

To visit people or contact them to win support

works by creating excitement that leads to support rather than direct solicitation
to drum up
vsto galvanize support
26 4.1

To try to get more interest or support by telling people about something

causes excitement and active support directly rather than only seeking it
to ignite passion
vsto galvanize support
1 5.0

Make someone feel very excited and interested in something

leads to active support and organized backing rather than only strong feeling
to rally the crowd
vsto galvanize support
1 4.2

To bring people together and make them want to act

is about causing broad excitement and active support rather than group gathering

Antonyms

257 3.5

To try to stop something by making people less willing to do it

33 6.1

To make someone lose confidence or hope

How Supportive

to galvanize support
1 5.8
to encourage
2.3

Surface Forms

galvanize support infinitive
galvanized support past participle
galvanizing support present participle
galvanizes support third person singular

Morphology

galvanize + support

The meaning is directly and compositionally derivable: 'galvanize' (to provoke or motivate people) applied to 'support' yields 'to motivate people to provide backing.' This verb + object combination follows a straightforward compositional pattern found across languages, so a learner who knows both constituents should understand the MWE.

Etymology

The phrase galvanize support comes from the scientist Luigi Galvani, who used electricity to make frog legs move suddenly and gave a strong image of a quick, powerful jolt. So galvanize support uses that image of an electric shock to 'push people into action' and make them actively support something.