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sap

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word sap distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of sap are cripple, debilitate, disable, enfeeble, undermine, and weaken. While all these words mean "to lose or cause to lose strength or vigor," undermine and sap suggest a weakening by something working surreptitiously and insidiously.

a poor diet undermines your health
drugs had sapped his ability to think

In what contexts can cripple take the place of sap?

While the synonyms cripple and sap are close in meaning, cripple implies causing a serious loss of functioning power through damaging or removing an essential part or element.

crippled by arthritis

When can debilitate be used instead of sap?

The words debilitate and sap are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, debilitate suggests a less marked or more temporary impairment of strength or vitality.

the debilitating effects of surgery

When would disable be a good substitute for sap?

The words disable and sap can be used in similar contexts, but disable suggests bringing about impairment or limitation in a physical or mental ability.

disabled by an injury sustained at work

When might enfeeble be a better fit than sap?

While in some cases nearly identical to sap, enfeeble implies a condition of marked weakness and helplessness.

enfeebled by starvation

Where would weaken be a reasonable alternative to sap?

In some situations, the words weaken and sap are roughly equivalent. However, weaken may imply loss of physical strength, health, soundness, or stability or of quality, intensity, or effective power.

a disease that weakens the body's defenses

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 sap
Noun
Tiny, round exit holes — about the size of a pinhead — may appear on the bark, sometimes with dark staining or oozing sap. James Campbell, Mercury News, 28 July 2025 While tequila is unmistakably a Mexican creation, the techniques used to produce it may owe something to Filipino sailors, who brought with them deep knowledge of transforming coconut sap into a potent spirit known as lambanog. Stephen Acabado, The Conversation, 21 July 2025
Verb
Humanitarian agencies have been prevented by the belligerents from providing aid, while conflicts elsewhere have sapped the West’s attention. Tasneem Nashrulla, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2025 Now the deadline has been sapped of all meaning. Ashanty Rosario, The Atlantic, 3 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sap
Noun
  • One of the bottlenecks in frequency comb technology has been the high energy required for spectral broadening.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Starting from the questionable proposition that revolutionary movements require energy and that energy in its most basic form is derived from solar rays, Chizhevsky listed some historical developments that lined up with astronomical developments.
    Tim Brinkhof, Big Think, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • After 2024 treatments, the state saw the impact mostly on carp and sucker fish, spokesperson Sydney Kennedy told the Statesman.
    Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Train yourself to look for growth that should be removed, such as tomato suckers and low-growing tomato branches, excess dahlia foliage, and tangled thyme.
    Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • As Simeon and Tupe engaged in soothing effleurage and loudly vigorous tapotement, respectively, six Maori women surrounded their tables and sang folk songs in harmony, guided by an elder in the audience with a long, gnarled cane.
    Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Now 77, widowed, remarried and using hearing aids and a cane, Novy hasn’t seen an increase in his $1,575 monthly worker’s compensation check — nor have the other more than 300 other PTD recipients — since 2016.
    TOM KERTSCHER, jsonline.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Smart monitoring systems can track health metrics, predict potential issues and provide early interventions, allowing caregivers to focus on human connection rather than constant vigilance.
    Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • As the Dodgers challenged the call, Melvin and assistant athletic trainer Ryo Watanabe met Smith near first base to assess Smith’s health.
    Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Foreign powers such as Russia and China, which challenge America and its allies from Europe to the Middle East to Taiwan and the South China Sea, have long been accused of exploiting such divisions through disinformation campaigns that inflame tensions and weaken confidence in American governance.
    Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
  • But around the equinoxes, the natural buffer weakens.
    Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Eian Bain’s squad with Bridgewater-Raynham showed impressive vigor against a state titan in Mansfield before falling on a walk-off field goal (a 24-21 loss).
    Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
  • When beating, whip with vigor using a fork instead of a whisk.
    Megan Zhang, Saveur, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Under the baton of Conductor Laureate Christopher Warren-Green, the Charlotte Symphony will be joined by Sphinx Virtuosi, the chamber orchestra of the Sphinx Organization, a national non-profit organization based in Detroit.
    Liz Rothaus Bertrand, Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Reuters reported that police used water cannons, batons, rubber bullets and tear gas against protesters.
    Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Every individual brings unique needs, preferences and strengths.
    Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • This new gel, however, manages to combine strength, healing, and sensing capabilities in one material, which is a rare feat.
    Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 14 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sap. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

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