as in to weaken
to diminish the physical strength of
the long, stressful days and sleepless nights gradually etiolated him
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 etiolate
Some etiolated form of what might be called Ledeenism lingered on before taking on new life at the outset of the Trump administration.
—
Jacob Heilbrunn, The New Republic, 23 Jan. 2020
Jacob Heilbrunn, The New Republic, 23 Jan. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for etiolate
Verb
-
Under this model, airlines, hotels, and other end-service providers may benefit, while intermediaries such as ticket booking platforms and price comparison websites may see their roles weakened.—
,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2026
-
This weakens the plant and can cause dieback.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
By night, the scene softens with storm lanterns lit by hotel staff, who also patrol the premises.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Mar. 2026
-
To be more sensitive to modern audiences, O’Brien said that Howl’s revival would take fewer song requests while softening the onstage comedy bits, adding that its modern music and food menu of wings and flatbreads would also drive the bar’s success.—
Phillip Valys,
Sun Sentinel,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Then came the outbreak of a wasting illness called stony coral tissue loss disease - which spread from the area near the Port of Miami around the time of its 2014 dredging project - and a record heat wave in 2023.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Avoid wasting time by sticking to the heart of whatever’s going on.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Etiolate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/etiolate. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
