DEVITALIZE Synonyms: 110 Similar and Opposite Words

devitalize

verb

(ˌ)dē-ˈvī-tə-ˌlīz

Definition of devitalize

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

as in to weaken

to diminish the physical strength of she was devitalized by the infection

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for devitalize

Verb

Fox News Digital asked Martin whether that level of support undermined Ireland's neutrality.

— Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Brazil’s attorney general last week accused the US of undermining Brazilian democracy — a central theme for incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who holds a razor-thin polling lead over Flávio Bolsonaro.

— Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of undermine

Verb

Fink said the churn weakens the tie between a worker and an employer.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
Other potential causes are higher rates of chronic stress, depression and anxiety, as well as autoimmune diseases, which weaken the immune system, Curhan said.

— Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC news, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of weaken

Verb

Shawn and his father found the man on the easternmost coast of their island shortly after dusk, when the sky was drained of almost all its orange light and the waves had grown dark, topped with an eerie froth.

— Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
The road Game 3 win reigns supreme in Liberty lore after Sabrina Ionescu drained a 28-foot game-winning dagger.

— Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of drain

Verb

Earlier this year, the EU softened its corporate sustainability disclosure rules and adjusted its carbon pricing framework.

— Justin Worland, Time, 3 Oct. 2026
DedCool understood the assignment and included a warm base of Australian sandalwood, amber, and white musk to soften the scent.

— Vivien Lee, InStyle, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of soften

Verb

Unsurprisingly, Chinese researchers have predicted that the main urban pension fund covering some 500 million urban workers, retirees, and cadres will be exhausted by the mid-2030s.

— Carl Minzner, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2026
In June, the NCAA ruled the class of 2022 had exhausted their eligibility.

— PJ Green October 2, Kansas City Star, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of exhaust

Verb

Shinn gave examples that will sound familiar to anyone who has wasted part of an afternoon on hold.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Spending heavily here is the most common way companies waste money on AI because there’s nothing underneath to make the spend productive.

— Shweta Gummidipudi, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of waste

Verb

Here, a source of primordial terror—the gaze that petrifies—is deflected by way of the highly polished shield that Perseus wields against the creature.

— Jan Tumlir, Artforum, 5 Aug. 2026
The first film follows a group of French high-school students who travel to Naples on a school trip to discover the ruins of Pompeii and the bodies petrified by Vesuvius.

— Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 20 May 2026

Definition of petrify

Verb

Its students arrive morally outraged, a priori puritans, while its professors are enervated and dissatisfied.

— Zain Khalid, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
The impact of that shocking final scene is sufficient to send viewers out feeling enervated after what’s been a pretty desultory final act.

— Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 24 May 2026

Definition of enervate

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devising

devitalize

devitalized

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“Devitalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devitalize. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of devitalize

verb

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