sapped 1 of 2

sapped

2 of 2

verb

past tense of sap

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 sapped
Verb
In the last quarter-century, relentless drought intensified by climate change has sapped the river’s flow and left its reservoirs severely depleted. — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026 Anyway, the only bummer was Toka completely blew out Savu, so a bit of the drama got sapped, which means the purple tribe was facing their first Tribal Council. — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Oct. 2026 The savage purge since June of high-momentum stocks – dominated by AI hardware and related industrials – has sapped the bullish aggression of traders, helping to reset tactical sentiment toward a more neutral level. — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026 The source of Stevie’s anger lay in the drug’s having sapped her ability to live and work with the zeal and ambition that had defined her life and career up until then. — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2026 The slump has sapped the power that has defined his offensive game, with no extra-base hits and just one RBI during that span. — Jesús Cano, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026 After more than 26 years of drought and climate change sapped the river's supply, the nation's two largest reservoirs — Lake Powell and Lake Mead — are at record lows. — Alex Hager, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026 Hurricanes that pass over patches of cooler water, however, are sapped of their energy and diminish. — John P. Rafferty, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Aug. 2026 The deaths of her husband the previous year and her closest friend more recently had sapped her spirits. — Paula Span, Miami Herald, 18 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sapped
Adjective
  • Studies have shown that countries with stronger IP systems tend to be more innovative, while weaker IP systems may stifle innovation.
    — Andrei Iancu, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Are scientists hindered by a weak grasp of the physics driving GRBs?
    — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Economist Thomas Philippon calculates that weakened competition costs the typical household about $300 a month.
    — Christopher Marquis, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The Houthis are the crown jewel in this network, given how much Hezbollah has been weakened.
    — Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • In 1937, Foyles started the Right Book Club, a rather feeble counterweight to Victor Gollancz’s Left Book Club.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The probe’s landing gear is designed to absorb the energy of each landing to mitigate the risk of tipping over or bouncing back into space, a real concern with the feeble and uneven gravity field on Phobos.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 20 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Lead times for the iPhone 18 Pro have softened in several markets compared with the prior cycle, while the more expensive Pro Max has held up better, according to JPMorgan's tracking.
    — MacKenzie Sigalos,Kif Leswing, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The anthem video features Zankov speaking about tactile and nostalgic references, such as leather softened by a long journey and the feeling of cashmere on the skin, that inspired the collection.
    — David Moin, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Trump is waging a campaign in the final moments of the midterm election to quell discontent among farmers, truckers and drivers exhausted by $4 gas and near-record diesel.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
  • In an interview with the Financial Times, published today, Zelenskyy indicated his own patience had been exhausted.
    — David Hickey, NBC news, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • If Republicans lose big next month, there’ll be a brawl to assign blame — which consultants blew it, which ads wasted money, which issues didn’t work.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 21 Oct. 2026
  • If that is impossible for systems much larger than atoms, many of humanity’s current technological efforts would be wasted.
    — Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Sapped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sapped. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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