Uplift

Part of speech: verb, noun

Pronunciation: /ʌpˈlɪft/

Definitions

1. A feeling of encouragement or improvement in mood, spirits, or moral condition that makes someone feel more hopeful and positive
2. A process of raising someone or something to a higher position or level applies to both emotions and physical objects in a transformative manner
3. An act of enhancing or improving the emotional or physical state of a person or object, leading to a more positive or elevated status

Etymology: "Uplift" is a plain compound: "up" joined to "lift," the familiar verb meaning to raise something from a lower position. The pairing is old and transparent, so the word's interest lies less in a single surprising origin than in how the literal sense of physically raising something grew into the figurative sense of raising a person's spirits or circumstances. The verb and noun share the same root, and the noun form is the one most readers meet today, in phrases such as a "cultural uplift" or a "moral uplift." Both senses trace back to the same basic image of rising from below, which is why the emotional and material meanings sit comfortably side by side.

Synonyms: elevate, raise, lift, boost, inspire

Antonyms: depress, lower, diminish, discourage, weaken