emasculate

verb emas·cu·late \ i-ˈma-skyə-ˌlāt \

Definition of emasculate

emasculated; emasculating

transitive verb

1 : to deprive of strength, vigor, or spirit : weaken

2 : to deprive of virility or procreative power : castrate

3 : to remove the androecium of (a flower) in the process of artificial cross-pollination

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emasculate

play \i-ˈma-skyə-lət\ adjective

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emasculation

play \i-ˌma-skyə-ˈlā-shən\ noun

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emasculator

play \i-ˈma-skyə-ˌlā-tər\ noun

See emasculate defined for English-language learners

See emasculate defined for kids

Examples of emasculate in a Sentence

He plays the role of a meek husband who has been emasculated by his domineering wife.
Critics charged that this change would emasculate the law.

Recent Examples of emasculate from the Web

When a mother injects a child with a syringe, the mother is entering the child’s body in a way that could be symbolic for emasculating him.

— anna silman, The Cut, "Has There Ever Been a Real-life Case Like Phantom Thread?," 26 Jan. 2018
In black men, it is magnified because it is rooted in the idea that society is always trying to emasculate black men.

— monique judge, The Root, "Nipsey Hussle, Homophobia and Toxic Black Masculinity," 10 Jan. 2018
This direct mandate allowed him to consolidate power, emasculating alternative political and economic forces, including oligarchs, the media, regional governors and political parties.

— The Economist, "Enter Tsar VladimirVladimir Putin wants to forget the revolution," 26 Oct. 2017
Yet these victims are rarely depicted as innocent but, rather, as emasculating, domineering, mouthy instigators.

— ashley nkadi, The Root, "Y’all Don’t Deserve Black Women," 13 Dec. 2017
New York artist Cassady Benson illustrated a new version of this fowl emperor that emasculates him by removing his rooster comb and turning him into a round hen guarding a mysterious egg.

— danelle morton, Slate Magazine, "The Trump Chicken Is Coming to America," 20 Mar. 2017
In other words, the people shouting for Hillary to be locked up are most likely the same people who most fear being emasculated.

— sammy nickalls, Esquire, "Here's Why So Many Men Fear Having a Female President," 5 Nov. 2016
Mr Xi has emasculated the Communist Youth League, once an influential group and the road to power for his prime minister, Li Keqiang, and his predecessor as China’s leader, Mr Hu.

— The Economist, "Life and soul of the PartyXi Jinping has been good for China’s Communist Party; less so for China," 14 Oct. 2017
Trump has emasculated his secretary of state, who clearly does not speak for the administration.

— eliot a. cohen, The Atlantic, "Rex Tillerson Must Go," 2 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'emasculate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of emasculate

Latin emasculatus, past participle of emasculare, from e- + masculus male — more at male

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1607

See Words from the same year

emasculate Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of emasculate

unnerve, enervate, unman, emasculate mean to deprive of strength or vigor and the capacity for effective action. unnerve implies marked often temporary loss of courage, self-control, or power to act.

- unnerved by the near collision

enervate suggests a gradual physical or moral weakening (as through luxury or indolence) until one is too feeble to make an effort.

- a nation's youth enervated by affluence and leisure

unman implies a loss of manly vigor, fortitude, or spirit.

- a soldier unmanned by the terrors of battle

emasculate stresses a depriving of characteristic force by removing something essential.

- an amendment that emasculates existing safeguards

EMASCULATE Defined for English Language Learners

emasculate

verb

Definition of emasculate for English Language Learners

: to make (a man) feel less masculine : to deprive (a man) of his male strength, role, etc.
: to make (something) weaker or less effective

Medical Dictionary

emasculate

transitive verb emas·cu·late \ i-ˈmas-kyə-ˌlāt \

medical Definition of emasculate

emasculated; emasculating

: to deprive of virility or procreative power : castrate

—

emasculation

play \-ˌmas-kyə-ˈlā-shən\ noun

Law Dictionary

emasculate

transitive verb emas·cu·late \ i-ˈmas-kyə-ˌlāt \

legal Definition of emasculate

emasculated; emasculating

: to deprive (as a law or judicial opinion) of force or effectiveness

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emasculate

Definition of emasculate

emasculate

emasculation

emasculator

Examples of emasculate in a Sentence

Recent Examples of emasculate from the Web

Origin and Etymology of emasculate

emasculate Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Near Antonyms

Related Words

Synonym Discussion of emasculate

EMASCULATE Defined for English Language Learners

emasculate

Definition of emasculate for English Language Learners

Medical Dictionary

emasculate

medical Definition of emasculate

emasculation

Law Dictionary

emasculate

legal Definition of emasculate

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