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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
-
Kent’s departure quickly became a flashpoint inside conservative media, with some praising him for taking a stand and others accusing him of undermining the administration during wartime.—
Steve Mollman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
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Time for Warren Buffett to get the owners in the Casa Grande ballroom and run a cost-benefit analysis on the value of undermining the league’s integrity in a sport in bed with gambling against the price of paying officials.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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For the country’s leadership, weakened militarily and more isolated than ever, inflicting economic suffering has become the most powerful weapon available.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2026
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Continuous support could theoretically weaken muscles, so experts advise mixing exo use with traditional ergonomics and exercise.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Knueppel nearly recorded his first career triple-double, posting 26 points along with 11 rebounds and eight assists, draining 6 of 10 shots beyond the arc.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Schedule a brief meeting to set fair deadlines so people understand how to support your goals without draining your reserves.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Capricorn December 22 – January 19 Early tension softens with thoughtful pacing.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Mar. 2026
-
December 22 – January 19 Early tension softens with thoughtful pacing.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Consideration for a draft would only begin after exhausting troops on the ground with the country's active-duty military personnel, such as full-time professional military, including National Guard and Reserves, and any volunteers or enlistees who join after the war begins.—
Isa Almeida,
Oklahoman,
25 Mar. 2026
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In addition to exhausting reporters and scrambling the news cycle, episodes like this have fueled speculation that people close to the president are feeding off the chaos.—
Joe Wilkins,
Futurism,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But the opportunity was wasted.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Nobody wants to see that money be wasted on fraud, Mohan said.—
Jess Huff,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The filmmaker leans pop-comic rather than petrifying in his final draft, opting for earnestness that smothers atmospheric dread.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
6 Feb. 2026
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The former slingshots between harmony and hysteria; the latter petrifies its beauty under a haze of ashy gray powder.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
28 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
Jenny deflected me with enervating ease.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Devitalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devitalize. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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