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
-
In a recent Equity survey, 71 % of actors from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds still reported that hair and makeup departments were unable to meet their needs, something that undermining wellbeing, authenticity and production values.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Governments had promoted cleaner fuels like LPG for health and conservation reasons, but rising costs are undermining those gains.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The deeper the rifts between the United States and Europe over Iran, the greater the chances of weakening the NATO alliance.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
-
During his appearances on Capitol Hill this month, Secretary Kennendy was grilled about the administration's defense of the pesticide industry and weakening of protections against mercury pollution, another issue that Kennedy had worked on as an advocate.—
Will Stone,
NPR,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The long hours of immersion in cold water and the strain of swimming fully clothed through turbulent waves toward the tantalizingly near shoreline must have drained the last bit of endurance from him.—
Jim Hoagland,
Outdoor Life,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Xefco One Australian startup is trying to clean up one of fashion’s more draining problems.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Footwear News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The decision reflected a common pattern in China's technology sector, where startups establish offshore corporate structures to access global capital and reassure foreign investors, and sometimes soften regulatory scrutiny while maintaining engineering talent and intellectual ties to the mainland.—
Dewardric L. McNeal,
CNBC,
28 Apr. 2026
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This cult Japanese skincare-meets-makeup hybrid is an ultra-fine powder to even out skin tone, soften the look of pores, and reduce shine, leaving a translucent finish with subtle coverage.—
Anita Bhagwandas,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Repole is exhausting, but never exhausted.—
Jerry Brewer,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
But within a few years, they were exhausted from constant touring with occasional bickering.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
When the Broncos cut Greenlaw, the 49ers wasted no time in bringing him back to pair with middle linebacker Fred Warner in hopes of reviving one of the NFL’s top linebacker tandems.—
Jerry McDonald,
Mercury News,
25 Apr. 2026
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Cucurella’s red card was the seventh of their nine so far in 2025-26, and the two games featured chances wasted in front of goal and moments where the defence got easily exposed by direct play.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In group chats and meetings, Republicans are privately petrified the Iran war could cost them the midterms.—
Elizabeth Robinson,
NBC news,
16 Apr. 2026
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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
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 2 May. 2026.
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