as in to undermine
to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality
by the time of the fourth rewrite, the screenplay had pretty much been gelded of all originality
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Recent Examples of geld
Gegen and his 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding One Question raced through the course in 44.686 seconds for the win.
—
Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 May 2025
An Oldenburg gelding in the horse barn, which is paved with rubber tiles; another stall contains a 1900s French armchair, a 19th-century table, and bird prints.
—Anita Sarsidi, ELLE Decor, 1 June 2023
Because Moscow retains a close partner in this effort to geld Ukraine—a vassal state that presents the model for what Putin would like to accomplish in Ukraine: Belarus.
—Casey Michel, The New Republic, 1 Mar. 2022
Yet on May 8, 1920 — 100 years ago Friday — Man o’ War was conspicuously absent from Churchill Downs, neither entered nor even nominated for the 46th Derby won by the gelding Paul Jones.
—Tim Sullivan, The Courier-Journal, 7 May 2020
See All Example Sentences for geld
Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 May 2025
An Oldenburg gelding in the horse barn, which is paved with rubber tiles; another stall contains a 1900s French armchair, a 19th-century table, and bird prints.
—Anita Sarsidi, ELLE Decor, 1 June 2023
Because Moscow retains a close partner in this effort to geld Ukraine—a vassal state that presents the model for what Putin would like to accomplish in Ukraine: Belarus.
—Casey Michel, The New Republic, 1 Mar. 2022
Yet on May 8, 1920 — 100 years ago Friday — Man o’ War was conspicuously absent from Churchill Downs, neither entered nor even nominated for the 46th Derby won by the gelding Paul Jones.
—Tim Sullivan, The Courier-Journal, 7 May 2020
See All Example Sentences for geld
Recent Examples of Synonyms for geld
Verb
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The remarks, delivered to Standard Bank executives and reported for the first time by Semafor, captured the growing unease among policymakers about how quickly the external shocks can undermine domestic planning, especially for an open, import-dependent economy like South Africa.—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
9 Mar. 2026
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Aleph and other Jewish chaplaincy groups say the chaplaincy system is being undermined by the Messianic movement, whose adherents may identify as Jews but are not recognized as such by any denomination of Judaism.—
Asaf Elia-Shalev,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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After his conviction, Turing was chemically castrated.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
20 Feb. 2026
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By way of example, Morris points to a scene in Wiseman's 1993 documentary Zoo, in which an all-women surgical team at Miami zoo castrates a wolf.—
Chloe Veltman,
NPR,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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
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This weakens the plant and can cause dieback.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Use your hands to agitate the greens (this will dislodge any stubborn bits of grit or dirt), then drain and spin dry.—
Riley Wofford,
Martha Stewart,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Improper Amount of Water Dogwoods prefer well-draining soil, and excessive watering can affect the number of flowers (and leaves) on the tree.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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If you’re exhausted by life, you’re allowed to cancel plans — even fun ones — to restore your energy.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Although current statistics indicate reserves will be exhausted in 2032, there are still possible interventions to change that.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Police released an image captured from a surveillance video showing a person wearing dark clothes and a backpack, with their face covered.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Mar. 2026
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Liu’s jacket—worn open over a white crewneck tee—featured a breast pocket bearing the house’s telltale LV monogram.—
Hannah Jackson,
Vogue,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The filmmaker leans pop-comic rather than petrifying in his final draft, opting for earnestness that smothers atmospheric dread.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
6 Feb. 2026
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The former slingshots between harmony and hysteria; the latter petrifies its beauty under a haze of ashy gray powder.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
28 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Geld.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/geld. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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