Definitions

1. verb

to change or transform something, especially an emotion or desire, into a more acceptable or respectable form, often unconsciously

“The artist’s sublimation of her trauma into a powerful painting was a testament to her resilience.”

2. verb

to purify or free a substance from impurities, especially by distillation or crystallization

“The chemist sublimed the impurities from the sample to obtain a pure crystal.”

3. noun

a process or product that results from the sublimation of a substance

“The sublimation of the dry ice created a misty atmosphere in the laboratory.”

4. noun

a repressed or unconscious idea, emotion, or desire

“The therapist helped her patient to recognize and sublimate her repressed anger towards her father.”