1
as in to undermine
to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality
overuse has devitalized many a once-striking figure of speech
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to weaken
to diminish the physical strength of
she was devitalized by the infection
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of devitalize
This can devitalize the plant to the point of it starting to die back.
—
oregonlive, 5 Feb. 2023
Miller’s writing début may have been precipitated by her assault, but the final work devitalizes its horrific beginnings.
—Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2019
His lip was completely destroyed with multiple linear lacerations, jagged lacerations, devitalized tissue, denervated tissue with a 12 cm laceration in multiple pieces of the entire left upper lift, the mucosal surface, and orbicularis.
—Edmund H. Mahony, courant.com, 1 June 2017
oregonlive, 5 Feb. 2023
Miller’s writing début may have been precipitated by her assault, but the final work devitalizes its horrific beginnings.
—Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2019
His lip was completely destroyed with multiple linear lacerations, jagged lacerations, devitalized tissue, denervated tissue with a 12 cm laceration in multiple pieces of the entire left upper lift, the mucosal surface, and orbicularis.
—Edmund H. Mahony, courant.com, 1 June 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devitalize
Verb
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This kind of long-term vision is undermined by drastic and unpredictable trade policies.—
Tom Rogers,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Apr. 2025
-
Miranda Jeyaretnam and Chad de Guzman reported on April 30, 2025, for the 50th anniversary of the war’s end, on how President Donald Trump is undermining U.S.-Vietnam reconciliation.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
30 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The pests set about sucking the sap from grape roots, slowly weakening them and opening wounds that invited disease.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
28 Apr. 2025
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As more state legislation is passed that weakens or eliminates longstanding fire and life safety codes, the need for young workers who are trained and passionate about reversing these trends is high.—
Jim Pauley,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The arena goes icily silent, punctuated by some half-hearted boos as the clock drains down.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
-
Today's Amazon deals are built to level up your setup without draining your wallet.—
Shubham Yewale,
PC Magazine,
1 May 2025
Verb
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Add bell peppers to pan; cook until peppers just start to soften, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes.—
Ann Taylor Pittman,
Southern Living,
2 May 2025
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The satellite broadcaster is unique in its dependence on cars, where most people listen to the service, amid punishing tariffs by the Trump administration on autos and auto parts, although the president recently softened the hit.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
1 May 2025
Verb
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Dominate a single platform Many entrepreneurs exhaust themselves trying to maintain presence across every social channel, newsletter platform, and podcast directory.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
30 Apr. 2025
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The gorilla could easily maim several men before being exhausted.—
Mohammed Soliman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Meta, like most AI companies, holds that training must be deemed fair use, or else the entire AI industry could face immense setbacks, wasting precious time negotiating data contracts while falling behind global rivals.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
2 May 2025
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Let what’s leaving go swiftly, and don’t waste time looking back.—
Meghan Rose,
Glamour,
1 May 2025
Verb
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He was petrified by the thought of dying of cancer or some other disease whose senselessness disgusted him.—
Ian Buruma,
The New Yorker,
6 Jan. 2025
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Medusa was known in ancient Greece for petrifying anyone who dared to look her in the eye, and has been seen as a personification of madness.—
Sarah Belmont,
ARTnews.com,
17 Dec. 2024
Verb
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This relationship, when successful, tends to enervate mediating institutions that thwart the immediate desires of both the populist leader and the public.—
Cameron Hilditch,
National Review,
28 Feb. 2021
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The saving grace of this often enervating thriller is that Doscher grants time for his actors to build character and intimacy, and both Pinto and Odom offer warm, affectingly natural performances as two people facing the end of their world.—
Teo Bugbee,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Devitalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devitalize. Accessed 13 May. 2025.
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