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innervate

Other forms: innervated; innervates; innervating

Unless you’re into anatomy or zoology, you probably don’t need the word innervate very often. It’s pronounced “inNERVate," accent on the “nerve.” To innervate is “to supply nerves to.” It also means “to stimulate” or “to supply with energy.”

The word innervate sounds like what it is — it means to “put the nerves into” something. When nerves go into muscle fiber, they innervate the muscle fiber. Innervate is to supply nerves to something, but it can also mean to energize. Think of all the energy you have when you get nervous! Sometimes nervousness can even innervate the hairs on your arms, i.e. stimulate them and make them stand up.

Definitions of innervate
  1. verb
    stimulate to action
    innervate a muscle or a nerve”
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    type of:
    excite, stimulate
    act as a stimulant
  2. verb
    supply nerves to (some organ or body part)
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    type of:
    furnish, provide, render, supply
    give something useful or necessary to
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘innervate'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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