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
Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2026
Jenny deflected me with enervating ease.
—Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026
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
Verb
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
Jenny deflected me with enervating ease.
—Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026
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
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But others, as your letter demonstrates, might find the cost and effort exhausting.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Holed up for 21 exhausting hours with their Iranian counterparts, the American amateur trio had to hold multiple opposed ideas in their minds at the same time while retaining the ability to function.—
Andreas Kluth,
Mercury News,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The markets, which include Polymarket and its chief rival Kalshi, have been criticized for everything from undermining the integrity of sports to contributing to an online betting addiction crisis among young men.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
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Any sustained rise in energy prices risks widening the current account deficit and undermining macroeconomic stability.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The impact of those exits could turn out to be the most lasting, potentially weakening the Justice Department for many years to come, several former longterm DOJ lawyers who worked across areas told USA TODAY.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2026
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Moisture can lead to weakening the tree or shrub's protective layer and create an environment for fungal growth, rot, or disease, says Putnam.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But the most mentally fatiguing aspect, the work found, was having to constantly supervise the AI tools, with some employees overseeing multiple AI agents performing different tasks at the same time.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
12 Mar. 2026
-
My friend was in course of opening up his country house unassisted, and after a fatiguing day discovered that the only practical bed was a child’s affair— long enough but scarcely wider than a crib.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The geopolitical conflict in the Middle East is actively draining the American wallet.—
Katica Roy,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2026
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The perfusionist questioned the decision to stop disinfecting the units, saying his concern with draining was that if the tanks weren’t completely dry and still contained moisture, bacteria could form.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Plus, these formulas aren’t limited to softening and smoothing only certain hair textures.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
21 Apr. 2026
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Some galleries have had pigment—blue, red, black—mixed into the concrete, softening the material’s sterility.—
Maximilíano Durón,
ARTnews.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Cobain had struggled for years with depression, substance abuse issues and a debilitating, unexplained stomach ailment.—
Nicole Briese,
PEOPLE,
8 Apr. 2026
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Living with long COVID Long COVID is often very debilitating, Walkes said.—
Nicole Villalpando,
Austin American Statesman,
15 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
Cite this Entry
“Enervating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enervating. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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