etiolating

verb

present participle of etiolate
as in weakening
to diminish the physical strength of the long, stressful days and sleepless nights gradually etiolated him

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for etiolating
  1. weakening
  2. softening
  3. wasting
Verb
  • The German lender notes a growing divergence between the nation's weakening fiscal position and its thriving corporate balance sheets.
    — Joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 9 July 2026
  • The effect results in the typical east-to-west trade winds weakening or even sometimes reversing, allowing warmer water from the western Pacific to move eastward.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
Definition of weakening
Verb
  • This recipe doesn’t require much prep outside of softening the butter.
    — Heather Riske, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 July 2026
  • Check monthly for signs of shriveling (add moisture), blackening or softening (discard).
    — Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2026
Definition of softening
Verb
  • That the women who show such bravery in speaking out against powerful men are wasting their time because their trauma cannot compete with the power of sport, or the power that sport imparts on its protagonists.
    — Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 11 July 2026
  • In addition to following the strict Laws of the Game, keeping up with professional athletes and embracing their new technology, referees are also cracking down on time-wasting.
    — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 11 July 2026
Definition of wasting
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.

Browse Nearby Words

etiolates
etiolating
etiquette
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Cite this Entry

“Etiolating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/etiolating. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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