sap

1 of 4

noun (1)

1
a
: the fluid part of a plant
specifically : a watery solution that circulates through a plant's vascular system
b(1)
: a body fluid (such as blood) essential to life, health, or vigor
(2)
: bodily health and vigor
2
: a foolish gullible person
3
[probably short for sapling] : blackjack, bludgeon
sapless adjective
saplessness noun

sap

2 of 4

verb (1)

sapped; sapping

transitive verb

1
: to drain or deprive of sap
2
: to knock out with a sap

sap

3 of 4

verb (2)

sapped; sapping

intransitive verb

: to proceed by digging a sap

transitive verb

1
: to subvert by digging or eroding the substratum or foundation : undermine
2
a
: to gradually diminish the supply or intensity of
sapped her strength
b
: to weaken or exhaust the energy or vitality of
the illness sapped him of his stamina
3
: to operate against or pierce by a sap

sap

4 of 4

noun (2)

: the extension of a trench to a point beneath an enemy's fortifications
Choose the Right Synonym for sap

weaken, enfeeble, debilitate, undermine, sap, disable mean to lose or cause to lose strength or vigor.

weaken may imply loss of physical strength, health, soundness, or stability or of quality, intensity, or effective power.

a disease that weakens the body's defenses

enfeeble implies a condition of marked weakness and helplessness.

enfeebled by starvation

debilitate suggests a less marked or more temporary impairment of strength or vitality.

the debilitating effects of surgery

undermine and sap suggest a weakening by something working surreptitiously and insidiously.

a poor diet undermines your health
drugs had sapped his ability to think

disable suggests bringing about impairment or limitation in a physical or mental ability.

disabled by an injury sustained at work

Examples of sap in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Both sides continue to exchange heavy fire on a daily basis, sapping ammunition supplies. Yoonjung Seo, CNN, 28 Feb. 2024 Hedge funds particularly sap the affordable market, competing with first-time home buyers. The San Diego Union-Tribune Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Feb. 2024 This being the case, the costs of return sapping capital commitments are immense. John Tamny, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024 Family-friendly program on the art of maple sugaring, when sap from trees is collected to make syrup Saturday at Robinson Nature Center in Columbia. Howard County Times, Baltimore Sun, 11 Feb. 2024 Even in a campaign in which Mr. Trump’s dominance has sapped the race of much of its drama, his win in Nevada felt particularly preordained. Michael Gold, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2024 Older Rita is still self-possessed but, as written, there’s a distance that smooths the edges, turns her into a saintly figure and saps the character of the charge that keeps someone married for decades. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Feb. 2024 The past year has offered painful reminders that war and conflict can also sap the resources, attention, and stamina necessary for the challenging clean energy transition ahead. Jason Bordoff, Foreign Affairs, 18 Jan. 2024 Without net neutrality, these companies can and will sap even more resources out of our industry. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 16 Jan. 2024
Noun
Sample maple beer, collect sap in the sugarbush and enjoy games and activities for all ages. Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 18 Feb. 2024 The plant has a white milky sap that was used to treat pain in many Latin American cultures. Chelsea Hylton, Los Angeles Times, 14 Dec. 2023 Like rubber trees, poinsettias exude a natural latex sap — a milky fluid that can seep out when parts of the plant are torn or broken. Stephen C. George, Discover Magazine, 13 Dec. 2023 The Salton Sea will keep shrinking as global warming saps the Colorado River’s flows, leading to less water irrigating Imperial Valley farm fields and running off into the desert lake. Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2024 That’s because the main symptoms caused by ingesting the sap of the plant are burning and swelling of the tongue and throat, making speech difficult. Stephen C. George, Discover Magazine, 13 Dec. 2023 The leaves do have a milky sap that can cause a rash in some people if they are exposed to it, but the plants are not poisonous. Janet B. Carson, arkansasonline.com, 11 Dec. 2023 The way the seasons withered crops or provoked tree sap to flow might manifest in the body as yellow bile surging in the summer and cold, wet phlegm dripping in the winter. Meg Leja, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Nov. 2023 This is because cicadas eat the sap from trees and slicing into them to lay their eggs. Christianna Silva, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sap.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English sæp; akin to Old High German saf sap

Verb (2)

Middle French sapper, from Old Italian zappare, from zappa hoe

Noun (2)

French sape, from saper

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

1725, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1598, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun (2)

1642, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sap was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near sap

Cite this Entry

“Sap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sap. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sap

1 of 2 noun
1
: the fluid part of a plant
especially : a watery solution that circulates through a higher plant and carries food and nutrients
2
: bodily health and vigor : vitality sense 3b
3
: a foolish person who is easily tricked or cheated

sap

2 of 2 verb
sapped; sapping
1
: undermine sense 2
heavy waves sapped the seawall
2
: to weaken gradually
illness sapped my strength

Medical Definition

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