1
as in undermining
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 weakening
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 devitalizing
Verb
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While the court technically kept Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act intact, the ruling contributes to a series of decisions undermining the landmark 1965 law that protected racial minorities' collective voting power.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
30 Apr. 2026 -
But more than half fear that politicization and confusion are undermining vaccine access.—
Michael C. Burgess,
STAT,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Dunn said Black domestic workers were often forced to work longer on election days by their white families, weakening their chances of casting a ballot.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
2 May 2026
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If next week’s jobs report shows a still resilient labor market, that could relieve investors wary of a weakening economic outlook.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Shane Lowry has the distinction of draining one of the more memorable putts in recent golf history.—
Kels Dayton,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Grow crocosmia in moist, organically rich, well-draining soil in full sun to light shade.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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After a decade of animosity, opinion polls show Americans’ views of China are softening, especially among the young.—
Andy Browne,
semafor.com,
28 Apr. 2026
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With hindsight perhaps softening memories of sunstroke, cast members and a number of below-the-line crew now fairly rhapsodize about the uniqueness of the shoot.—
Chris Lee,
Vulture,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Martinez on Thursday did not discuss details of the plan but said the city was exhausting all its options while seeking more ways to cut costs.—
Abby Church,
Houston Chronicle,
30 Apr. 2026
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In some ways, the Wolfpack were already destined for a reset, with veterans like Tre Holloman, Darrion Williams, Quadir Copeland and Ven-Allen Lubin all exhausting their eligibility.—
Brendan Marks,
New York Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The city is wasting an enormous amount of city funds by trying to maintain the Housing First program, which involves nearly $1 million per unit of housing and a lifetime of dependency by the homeless individual.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
4 May 2026
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With the cost of living rising, leaders should create relief instead of collecting money, then wasting it through their vast bureaucracy.—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
Verb
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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
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Jenny deflected me with enervating ease.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Another suggestion was requiring special sound-deadening balls, currently available, that lower the decibel levels considerably.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
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Both nationally and in Minnesota , there has been a shift away from intelligent discussion of public policy to endless partisan warfare with a deadening impact on the public.—
Arne Carlson,
Twin Cities,
8 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Devitalizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devitalizing. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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