as in exhausting
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in undermining
to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality
a lifetime of working in dreary jobs had enervated his very soul
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in weakening
to diminish the physical strength of
the surgery really enervated me for weeks afterwards
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of enervating
Eli Enis, Pitchfork, 3 Feb. 2026
This may reframe his friend’s enervating habit.
—Hope Hunt, Baltimore Sun, 30 Jan. 2026
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
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
Verb
The results are often enervating though sometimes clumsy.
—Eli Enis, Pitchfork, 3 Feb. 2026
This may reframe his friend’s enervating habit.
—Hope Hunt, Baltimore Sun, 30 Jan. 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enervating
Adjective
-
Being a Democrat can be exhausting sometimes.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
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My bags are stable, my hands are free, and long walks through massive terminals are far less exhausting.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Broad political characterizations oversimplify complex legal processes and risk undermining confidence in an independent judiciary.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Feb. 2026
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Adding Medicaid work-reporting requirements to this already fragile balancing act risks undermining the system that makes aging in the community possible.—
Emily D. Tisdale,
STAT,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Unbalanced Or Leaning Tree A weakening root system or poor pruning practices can cause a tree to lean to one side.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
15 Feb. 2026
-
My opponent, Tim O’Hare, has led with ideology and performative politics, reducing transparency, weakening public participation, and creating financial instability through deficit-style budgeting and reserve spending.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Grand Luna has an unprecedented high-frequency extension that goes as high as 30kHz, while remaining smooth, non-fatiguing, and eliminating harshness or sibilance thanks to Campfire’s acoustic engineering.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
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To prevent this from happening again, repot the peace lily in fresh soil that is well-draining.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
17 Feb. 2026
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Wembanyama made a 3-pointer, but Raptors star Barnes ended it by draining his only shot of the game.—
Greg Beacham,
Twin Cities,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Your protective nature can close up quickly, but softening your tone and naming your needs invites deeper closeness without losing your boundaries.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
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Blacksmiths have relied on the softening glow of the forge since the Iron Age, and Metallurgy 101 dictates that thermal energy makes atoms slide past each other with ease.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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When the cost of that effort became debilitating, vulnerability was prescribed as relief, without the transfer of any real power.—
Kelly Ehlers,
Rolling Stone,
10 Feb. 2026
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However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), even mild cases of measles can be severe and debilitating.—
Doris Alvarez Cea,
Florida Times-Union,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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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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
“Enervating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enervating. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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