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

But the party’s past debates over crime and safety threaten to undermine that pitch.

— ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026
Future plots to imprison a critic of the MAGA movement might not be undermined by a loudmouth president who can’t help but give away the scheme.

— Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026

Definition of undermine

Verb

Analysts are less optimistic that the latest intervention could fundamentally alter the broader course of the yen’s weakening.

— John Liu, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026
If the partner feels disconnected from the hotel brand, the benefit may add utility while weakening the program’s positioning.

— Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of weaken

Verb

In recent months, with his cancer diagnosis now public, his attitude had softened and the prospect of him coming back to the stadium was dangling.

— George Caulkin, New York Times, 21 July 2026
Let your shoes soften the look, while the rest of your accessories—like a designer bag and statement jewelry—do all the heavy lifting.

— India Roby, Glamour, 21 July 2026

Definition of soften

Verb

Leaders who continually forge themselves become harder to exhaust, unsettle, or outmaneuver.

— Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
After graduating with a degree in business economics, Pichardo learned that NCAA athletes can compete in a different sport after exhausting their initial four years of eligibility.

— Marisa Ingemi, Mercury News, 27 July 2026

Definition of exhaust

Verb

Smart lighting energy automation shuts that waste down without asking you to remember anything, and the tools to set it up have gotten cheap enough that a single afternoon can pay off for years.

— Lauren Jarvis-Gibson July 31, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026
Alonso has arrived at Stamford Bridge after establishing himself as one of Europe’s brightest young coaches, and Chelsea have wasted little time reshaping their squad around the Spaniard’s ideas.

— Graham Ruthven, New York Times, 31 July 2026

Definition of waste

Verb

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
Johansson plays her with a tough edge to match her Queens accent, but Hester is clearly petrified by this perfect storm of ugly events.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026

Definition of petrify

Verb

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
Campbell, the North Carolina folk singer, describes an enervating process marked by back-and-forth exchanges and lots of waiting.

— Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 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 4 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of devitalize

verb

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