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
sapped; sapping
sapped; sapping
: to proceed by digging a sap
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
: the extension of a trench to a point beneath an enemy's fortifications
Synonyms
Examples of sap in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Lauren Weber, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2024
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed three bills into law aimed at strengthening the country's beleaguered forces, which are trying to hold the front lines in fighting that has sapped Ukraine's ranks and stores of weapons and ammunition.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 4 Apr. 2024
The Colorado — long viewed as a water lifeline for the West — has been sapped by drought, overuse and climate change, and California and six other states are in tense negotiations about how to permanently cut back.
—Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024
Towler said that lukewarm enthusiasm for Biden and the party at large could sap traditionally reliable Black turnout with potential consequences for Democratic fortunes — and American democracy — in November.
—Darrell Smith, Sacramento Bee, 5 Mar. 2024
Years of attrition had sapped the agency’s expertise at analyzing the complex finances of the 1%.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024
Josh Wingrove, David Welch | Bloomberg News (TNS) Turmoil in the Middle East poses a risk to President Joe Biden’s reelection bid, threatening to sap turnout among some of his key supporters — and possibly flip the race to Donald Trump.
—Tribune News Service, Orange County Register, 27 Feb. 2024
Libra September 23 – October 22 A lack of limits around your responsibilities could sap your energy at the moment.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 12 Feb. 2024
But Ruo has the narrator read out the book’s entire introduction over the somber clanging of mildly dissonant chords, sapping the score of momentum and focus.
—An Epic Set, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2024
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2024
But with hardened sap — and even fresh sap from pines — this probably won’t be enough.
—Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024
The process involves sourcing readily available ingredients, such as plants, tree sap, or stone, which are then burned to soot, melted, or ground into powders with a mortar and pestle.
—Zahra Hankir, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024
The key ingredients for this new expression are palm sap from Nigeria and Ghana and South African pineapple.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 13 Feb. 2024
Natural latex is sustainable, made from the sap of rubber trees.
—Andrea Wurzburger, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Oct. 2023
From Nebraska to New York, 15 broods of periodical cicadas grow underground, quietly sipping watery sap from tree roots.
—Celia Ford, WIRED, 28 Mar. 2024
Classified as a plant-hopper, the insect jumps from organism to organism to feed on their sap, affecting over 70 species.
—Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Mar. 2024
In these particular broods, young cicadas, called nymphs, feed on sap from tree roots underground for 13 or 17 years, depending on the species’ life cycle.
—Keely Brewer, The Daily Memphian, and Brittney J. Miller, Cedar Rapids Gazette, Journal Sentinel, 20 Feb. 2024
Verb
Insufficient iron, most easily absorbed from meat, saps energy and affects the ability to concentrate.
—Lauren Weber, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2024
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed three bills into law aimed at strengthening the country's beleaguered forces, which are trying to hold the front lines in fighting that has sapped Ukraine's ranks and stores of weapons and ammunition.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 4 Apr. 2024
The Colorado — long viewed as a water lifeline for the West — has been sapped by drought, overuse and climate change, and California and six other states are in tense negotiations about how to permanently cut back.
—Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024
Towler said that lukewarm enthusiasm for Biden and the party at large could sap traditionally reliable Black turnout with potential consequences for Democratic fortunes — and American democracy — in November.
—Darrell Smith, Sacramento Bee, 5 Mar. 2024
Years of attrition had sapped the agency’s expertise at analyzing the complex finances of the 1%.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024
Josh Wingrove, David Welch | Bloomberg News (TNS) Turmoil in the Middle East poses a risk to President Joe Biden’s reelection bid, threatening to sap turnout among some of his key supporters — and possibly flip the race to Donald Trump.
—Tribune News Service, Orange County Register, 27 Feb. 2024
Libra September 23 – October 22 A lack of limits around your responsibilities could sap your energy at the moment.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 12 Feb. 2024
But Ruo has the narrator read out the book’s entire introduction over the somber clanging of mildly dissonant chords, sapping the score of momentum and focus.
—An Epic Set, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2024
Noun
Advertising dollars depend on eyeballs fixed to the game, so this sort of engagement is a win-win — for the leagues and their advertisers at least, if not always for the saps placing the bets.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2024
But with hardened sap — and even fresh sap from pines — this probably won’t be enough.
—Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024
The process involves sourcing readily available ingredients, such as plants, tree sap, or stone, which are then burned to soot, melted, or ground into powders with a mortar and pestle.
—Zahra Hankir, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024
The key ingredients for this new expression are palm sap from Nigeria and Ghana and South African pineapple.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 13 Feb. 2024
Natural latex is sustainable, made from the sap of rubber trees.
—Andrea Wurzburger, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Oct. 2023
From Nebraska to New York, 15 broods of periodical cicadas grow underground, quietly sipping watery sap from tree roots.
—Celia Ford, WIRED, 28 Mar. 2024
Classified as a plant-hopper, the insect jumps from organism to organism to feed on their sap, affecting over 70 species.
—Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Mar. 2024
In these particular broods, young cicadas, called nymphs, feed on sap from tree roots underground for 13 or 17 years, depending on the species’ life cycle.
—Keely Brewer, The Daily Memphian, and Brittney J. Miller, Cedar Rapids Gazette, Journal Sentinel, 20 Feb. 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.
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Cite this Entry
“Sap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sap. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sap
1 of 2 noun1
: 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
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