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

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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

Left-wing officials sympathize with the lawbreakers, and the police, who rarely sympathize with thugs of any ideology, are ordered to do nothing by emasculated police chiefs.

— david frum, The Atlantic, "The Chilling Effects of Openly Displayed Firearms," 12 Aug. 2017
This criteria has proven effective in the case of Richard Jefferson, a perennial candidate to turn back the hands of time and absolutely emasculate a superstar with a vicious posterization, but not with Deron Williams.

— tim kiernan, SI.com, "Why Derrick Rose Would Be a 'Perfect' Fit for the Cavaliers," 25 July 2017
With Charley taking the lead in the family business—and somewhat emasculating Ralph in the process—and dealing with her crumbling marriage, people tend to have a love-hate relationship with Dawn-Lyen Gardner’s character.

— yesha callahan, The Root, "Oprah Winfrey, Ava DuVernay and Queen Sugar Cast Discuss Season 2 and Diversity on TV," 13 June 2017
Grace Hemingway is often seen as domineering and emasculating; Ernest claimed to hate her for her sanctimonious condemnation of his early fiction, and blamed her for his father’s suicide.

— elaine showalter, New York Times, "A Hemingway Tell-All Bares His Tall Tales," 25 May 2017
Many believe Ennahda has become a kind of self-emasculating giant, underplaying a strong political hand to enable counterrevolutionary resurgence.

— monica marks, Washington Post, "Why do Tunisia’s Islamists support an unpopular law forgiving corruption?," 5 May 2017
Morning Joe for a second day talked ethics, or at least House Republicans’ about-face on emasculating a key committee (a fine account is here in The Washington Post).

— vanityfair.com, VanityFair.com, "Why Megyn Kelly Was a No-Brainer for NBC," 4 Jan. 2017
Morning Joe for a second day talked ethics, or at least House Republicans’ about-face on emasculating a key committee (a fine account is here in The Washington Post).

— The Hive, "Why Megyn Kelly Was a No-Brainer for NBC," 4 Jan. 2017
That, in turn, emasculates reporters like Andersen who fancy themselves – and are as nervous as – the wizards behind the curtain.

— brooke shelby biggs, WIRED, "New Yorker Critic Irks Web-Savvy," 11 Feb. 1997

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

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First Known Use: 1607

See Words from the same year

emasculate Synonyms

Synonyms

demoralize, unnerve, paralyze, undo, unman, unstring

Antonyms

nerve

Related Words

debilitate, enervate, enfeeble, neuter, weaken; prostrate, sap, soften, tire, waste; frighten, intimidate, psych (out), scare, terrify, terrorize; daunt, discourage, dishearten, dismay, dispirit; craze, derange, madden, unbalance, unhinge; discompose, disquiet, disturb, faze, perturb, unsettle, upset, weird out

Near Antonyms

fortify, strengthen; embolden, encourage, hearten

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.