as in to paralyze
to deprive of courage or confidence
being eliminated early in one's very first tennis tournament can be an emasculating experience
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Recent Examples of emasculate
No matter what agenda the president espoused—the economic pragmatism of Rafsanjani, the liberal aspirations of Mohammad Khatami, the populist provocations of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the nuclear diplomacy of Hassan Rouhani—Khamenei emasculated him.
—
Karim Sadjadpour,
The Atlantic,
28 Feb. 2026
In the political sphere—an arena that’s increasingly entangled with social media—figures such as Elon Musk decry empathy as an emasculating plague.
—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
Jordan continues yapping about being emasculated and being less of a man for staying with his wife.
—
Olivia Crandall,
Vulture,
13 Nov. 2025
And yet precisely this dynamic ensures that commitment between men, the kind of domesticity that David and Giovanni attempt to establish in Giovanni’s room, can only ever be emasculating.
—
Garth Greenwell,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for emasculate
Karim Sadjadpour,
The Atlantic,
28 Feb. 2026
In the political sphere—an arena that’s increasingly entangled with social media—figures such as Elon Musk decry empathy as an emasculating plague.
—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
Jordan continues yapping about being emasculated and being less of a man for staying with his wife.
—
Olivia Crandall,
Vulture,
13 Nov. 2025
And yet precisely this dynamic ensures that commitment between men, the kind of domesticity that David and Giovanni attempt to establish in Giovanni’s room, can only ever be emasculating.
—
Garth Greenwell,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for emasculate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for emasculate
Verb
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While receiving treatment at a British base, Derek learned that he was paralyzed from the chest down.
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With endless criteria, knowing exactly what to ask for from a pair of jean shorts is paralyzing.
Verb
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Those rights-holders have said the fence is intended to intimidate them or restrict their access, but Harrison’s attorneys have said the fence is meant to ward off those without access rights.
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Given how often Trump has threatened to resume the war without following through, and given his determination to move on, that prospect alone appears unlikely to intimidate Tehran.
Verb
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But her outbursts frightened the children too.
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What frightened me most was what might happen to my children.
Verb
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Supporters — many of them wearing Colombia’s yellow and red colors — rushed the gates at the home stadium of the NFL's Miami Dolphins, leaving fans terrified and bloodied as security struggled to contain the rush.
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In La Guaira, entire sections of Catia la Mar remained without electricity on Thursday after many residents spent Wednesday night sleeping in streets, cars or near damaged buildings, terrified of further collapses.
Verb
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Don’t be scared by his blue eyes.
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The intent of the letters isn’t to scare people, but to educate them about water stewardship, Talbott said.
Cite this Entry
“Emasculate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/emasculate. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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