1
as in undermines
to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality
overuse has devitalized many a once-striking figure of speech
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in weakens
to diminish the physical strength of
she was devitalized by the infection
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devitalizes
Verb
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That sentiment was echoed by parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who said the US blockade of Iranian ports undermines the ceasefire.—
Charbel Mallo,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2026 -
In general, disclosing AI use decreases trust and undermines legitimacy.—
Andras Molnar,
The Conversation,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Expanding nonmedical exemptions, however, weakens the very protections those medically vulnerable children depend on.—
Sarah Marsicek,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Apr. 2026
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Critics say allowing the department to delay or sideline state investigations weakens one of the last independent checks on government lawyers.—
Jaclyn Diaz,
NPR,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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If the search for a large outdoor planter exhausts you—just get a terra-cotta planter.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
6 Apr. 2026
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As the oil blockade quickly exhausts Cuba’s supply of fuel, triggering a series of lengthy, island-wide blackouts, many here are exhausted and are becoming increasingly vocal about their desire for fundamental changes in Cuba.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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There’s an adjustment period — percale can feel crisp at first — but most people acclimate within a week or two and find cotton softens further with every wash, rather than pilling or degrading like synthetics.—
Allison Palmer,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Apr. 2026
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Many types of seeds benefit from soaking in room temperature water before planting, which softens the outer covering and allows the seed germ to break through easier.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This idea of reasonableness is easily caricatured as moral timidity or a bloodless neutrality that drains politics of passion.—
Nikhil Krishnan,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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That’s why a fine textured soil, like clay, drains more poorly than does a coarse, sandy soil.—
Paul Cappiello,
Louisville Courier Journal,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Why do Californians, most of whom also believe the state wastes taxpayer money anyway, support the BWT?—
Robertas Bakula,
Oc Register,
23 Apr. 2026
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Watering for too long, at the wrong time of day, or incorrectly costs money and wastes a precious resource.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Isabella is thin and tall, and wears high heels and low-cut dresses.—
T. M. Brown,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
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Prince Harry wears a serious expression with an earpiece at the Kyiv Security Forum in Kyiv, Ukraine on April 23.—
Katie Hill,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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Cite this Entry
“Devitalizes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devitalizes. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.
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