1
as in to undermine
to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality
a lifetime of working in dreary jobs had enervated his very soul
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to weaken
to diminish the physical strength of
the surgery really enervated me for weeks afterwards
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in feeble
Related Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of enervate
Dan Brooks, The Atlantic, 2 Oct. 2025
Bears do not truly hibernate, but instead enervate, or enter a state of torpor, in their dens.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 25 Sep. 2025
Looming over all of it has been the sad, enervating situation with Alexander Isak, forever enshrined as a club legend by dint of Wembley last season but now beyond the point of tarnishing that legacy.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 10 Aug. 2025
This relationship, when successful, tends to enervate mediating institutions that thwart the immediate desires of both the populist leader and the public.
—Cameron Hilditch, National Review, 28 Feb. 2021
Perhaps the most intimate of these photographs presents her after a shower, wet and enervated, rubbing a cloth across her reflection in a mirror, as though the condensation were crud.
—Eren Orbey, The New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2020
But the art which resists the slow sap of a chronic disease—which repairs frames enervated by lust, swollen by gluttony, or inflamed by wine . .
—Chris Pope, WSJ, 17 Mar. 2019
Adjective
Some of these values—such as a disciplined commitment to physical fitness—are good and, in my opinion, necessary correctives to the enervating distractions of 21st-century living.
—Dan Brooks, The Atlantic, 2 Oct. 2025
Bears do not truly hibernate, but instead enervate, or enter a state of torpor, in their dens.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 25 Sep. 2025
Looming over all of it has been the sad, enervating situation with Alexander Isak, forever enshrined as a club legend by dint of Wembley last season but now beyond the point of tarnishing that legacy.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 10 Aug. 2025
This relationship, when successful, tends to enervate mediating institutions that thwart the immediate desires of both the populist leader and the public.
—Cameron Hilditch, National Review, 28 Feb. 2021
Perhaps the most intimate of these photographs presents her after a shower, wet and enervated, rubbing a cloth across her reflection in a mirror, as though the condensation were crud.
—Eren Orbey, The New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2020
But the art which resists the slow sap of a chronic disease—which repairs frames enervated by lust, swollen by gluttony, or inflamed by wine . .
—Chris Pope, WSJ, 17 Mar. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enervate
Verb
-
Nigeria’s Federal Revenue Service, whose boss Zacc Adedeji made the case for the tax, argued that local oil refineries are operating at cost levels that exceed those of fuel importers, a risk that could undermine the refining sector.—
Alexander Onukwue,
semafor.com,
30 Oct. 2025
-
The resumption of nuclear weapons testing by the United States will undermine national security, arms control advocates told .—
Joshua Rhett Miller,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
At the same time, leaving grass too long over the winter can shade the soil and weaken the grass.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
31 Oct. 2025
-
In addition to the GOP leaders, most rank-and-file Senate Republicans also oppose repealing the filibuster that’s been slowly weakened by both parties in recent decades for Executive Branch and judicial nominees.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
The Washington Examiner,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Their calculations show that a feeble interaction between the inflaton field and elementary particles called gluons would be sufficient to warm up inflation.—
Stephanie Pappas,
Scientific American,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Without getting into spoilers, her one-and-done appearance in Episode 5 presents the perfect opportunity for the more-than-capable Meester to match wits with Bell’s judgmental Joanna, only to strand the actor with boring, obvious jokes and saddle her with a feeble resolution.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The group exhausts and irritates opposing pitchers.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
However, the players named in the probe have already exhausted their eligibility.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Constipation can occur with iron supplements by affecting gut bacteria and pulling stool-softening water from your colon.—
Emmanuella Ogbonna,
Health,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Following her victory on the show, Curry became critical of the program and Banks, though her opinion on the reality TV experience has softened over the years.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Chargers guards and center Bradley Bozeman, a trio whose job was made more difficult by subpar play by both offensive tackles, looked enfeebled against Indianapolis Colt tackle DeForest Buckner.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Oct. 2025
-
During a hospital stay, Roy’s enfeebled mother fixates on the caste and religious affiliations of the doctors treating her—the sort of thing that will be familiar to anyone who has cringed at a diminished elder’s unfiltered prejudices.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This big snaking thing is dipped into the pool, and starts draining it from everyone else.—
Caroline Mimbs Nyce,
New Yorker,
30 Oct. 2025
-
The following weeks were emotionally draining.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Rather than slash and swing away after spotting the play, Stott tried to get the ball down and deaden it, increasing the level of difficulty.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Now, Sora 2 might just be another online fad, a reality-deadening distraction that people will soon tire of.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Enervate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enervate. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share