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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The journalists' arrests sparked outrage among free press advocates, who say the prosecutions undermine First Amendment freedoms and have called for prosecutors to drop the misdemeanor charges.—
Quinlan Bentley,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
2 Oct. 2025
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But solar advocates pushed back, warning that the changes would lengthen payback periods, discourage solar investment and undermine clean energy goals adopted by cities like Boise.—
Angela Palermo,
Idaho Statesman,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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For investors, even opposition threats of repeal weaken confidence by raising doubts about long-term policy stability.—
Felicia Jackson,
Forbes.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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While his core supporters remain loyal, sustained disapproval among the broader public could weaken his leverage in negotiations with Congress and erode confidence in his leadership.—
Robert Birsel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Hand sinks in kitchen not draining properly.—
Gege Reed,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
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Advertisement Between 1980 and 1988, as the war with Iraq drained the national budget, only a handful of dams were under construction.—
Nik Kowsar,
Time,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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That initial white chocolate softens into something creamier and woodier as the hours pass.—
Kimberly Wilson,
Essence,
3 Oct. 2025
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Expect Hamas to try to equivocate, buy time, soften language, and insist on impossible guarantees while preserving levers of power.—
Dan Perry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Given how many comebacks the Pacers had in the playoffs, there is some evidence that all that pressure (plus a relentless offensive pace) exhausts teams over 48 minutes.—
Eric Koreen,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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Dassey, now 35, has exhausted his appeal efforts.—
Kelli Arseneau,
jsonline.com,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Denim has long been branded one of the most climate-adverse, chemical-heavy, water-wasting fabrics to mill and manufacture.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
30 Sep. 2025
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The Lynx held their season-ending media access on Tuesday, and Napheesa Collier wasted little time in getting things off her chest.—
John Shipley,
Twin Cities,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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You'll be petrified by the violence inflicted upon boys who only wanted a chance to pull their families out of financial duress and have an opportunity at a comfortable life afforded to most of us sitting in our seats.—
Haadiza Ogwude,
The Enquirer,
13 Sep. 2025
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The only issue is his mother Laura (Wright), a woman who has lost a child once before and is petrified of a repeat.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Some of these values—such as a disciplined commitment to physical fitness—are good and, in my opinion, necessary correctives to the enervating distractions of 21st-century living.—
Dan Brooks,
The Atlantic,
2 Oct. 2025
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Bears do not truly hibernate, but instead enervate, or enter a state of torpor, in their dens.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Devitalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devitalize. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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