as in paralyzing
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 emasculating
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
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
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for emasculating
Verb
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His grief was crushing, paralyzing, calamitous.
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The tiniest decisions were paralyzing.
Verb
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While the outdoors can feel intimidating to many consumers, Van Diggelen said genuine engagement helps make the category more approachable.
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Think of it as the automotive equivalent of the family mastiff—intimidating in appearance, ferocious when required, but great with kids.
Verb
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Powell tried to open the stall door, and then began fondling himself, frightening the 11-year-old, who tried to leave, but Powell blocked him from getting out.
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This war has been a disaster for them, frightening away foreign investors, tourists and talent and burdening them with a future of huge new defense bills to deter Iran after the United States is gone.
Verb
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Grand Canyon The Grand Canyon is breathtaking and also terrifying with a 4-year-old along.
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Facing the endless Cylon onslaught in the void of space is terrifying even in 2D battles, but many of Scattered Hopes' gut punches happen during unexpected narrative events or tough choices that doom entire ship populations.
Verb
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Episodes find the gang scaring people for class assignments while carefully keeping the monster world under wraps.
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But she was saved by three bystanders who yelled out, scaring him off and chasing him through the park, sources said.
Cite this Entry
“Emasculating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/emasculating. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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