prostrates

verb

present tense third-person singular of prostrate
1
as in weakens
to diminish the physical strength of an athlete prostrated for weeks by a bout of pneumonia

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in paralyzes
to render powerless, ineffective, or unable to move the huge increase in gas prices really prostrated the nation's economic engine

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in overwhelms
to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress a widow prostrated by crushing grief

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in downs
to strike (someone) so forcefully as to cause a fall the boxer bragged that he could prostrate any opponent with a single blow

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for prostrates
  1. weakens
  2. paralyzes
  3. overwhelms
  4. downs
  5. softens
  6. incapacitates
  7. overcomes
  8. drops
Verb
  • Remove those resources, and the nominal tax rule remains unchanged while its practical effect weakens.
    — Andrew Leahey, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • Prolonged screen time tightens the muscles that support the neck and weakens the deep neck flexors responsible for holding the head aligned over the spine.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 22 July 2026
Definition of weakens
Verb
  • Fear, like ignorance, shuts our eyes to and paralyzes our trust in God’s omnipotence, omniscience, and unfailing love for His children, whereas the understanding of God’s ever-present goodness removes the fear that generates suffering.
    — André Kisonga, Christian Science Monitor, 30 June 2026
  • These opportunists drown out the core mission, creating a cacophony of competing voices that confuses donors, crowd the inboxes of CEOs and members of Congress with colliding petitions, and paralyzes meaningful action by draining critical funding and attention away from the truly effective groups.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 28 June 2026
Definition of paralyzes
Verb
  • One person has died and rescues are underway as catastrophic flooding overwhelms the Hill Country, a little more than a year after the July 4 floods killed more than 130 people in Central Texas.
    — Mary Ella Hastings July 16, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026
  • Furniture that is too large for a room overwhelms it; ensure your furniture is appropriate for your room size and the other pieces in that room.
    — Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 11 July 2026
Definition of overwhelms
Verb
  • Springtown takes edge in 7-4A race, downs Decatur Springtown got the inside track on the District 7-4A championship after beating Decatur 4-2 in 8 innings on Monday night at Decatur High School.
    — Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Apr. 2026
  • Greene downs it, throws the kid his jersey, smiles, and all is right with the world.
    — Debby Wolfinsohn, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of downs
Verb
  • With straight, barrel, or wide-leg jeans, the style brings a warm and polished note that softens the denim.
    — Alex Sales, Glamour, 24 July 2026
  • But the show’s episodic structure actually softens the impact of these blunders.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 23 July 2026
Definition of softens
Verb
  • The Martian tells the story of astronaut Mark Watney, who becomes stranded on Mars after a dust storm incapacitates him.
    — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 28 May 2026
  • Lorenzo confronts and incapacitates Pepe, Sonia’s main ally, before facing Sonia herself.
    — Isabella Wandermurem, Time, 24 Sep. 2025
Definition of incapacitates
Verb
  • David overcomes Goliath while Odysseus defeats the cyclops Polyphemus.
    — Theodore McDarrah, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • Mikel Oyarzabal has four goals, so could yet challenge if Spain overcomes France in the semifinals.
    — James Robson, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
Definition of overcomes
Verb
  • During the day when the bed is no longer in use, the entire bathroom and dining bench slide back and the dining table drops down, creating the four-seat dining lounge.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 21 July 2026
  • The policy statement published June 22 drops the individual holding caps that made last year’s consultation notorious, replaces them with a roughly £40 billion per-issuer issuance limit, and schedules the regime to go live in 2027.
    — Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of drops
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Prostrates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prostrates. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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