as in weak
lacking bodily strength
I was completely sapped after the first day of hauling logs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in weakened
to diminish the physical strength of
weeks of hard work had sapped her and left her exhausted
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Jon O'Brien, Vulture, 10 June 2026
But years of water use that outpaced the Colorado River’s shrinking flows have, over the past two decades, sapped the reservoir’s water stores and created an existential crisis for water managers across the basin, home to 40 million people.
—Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 7 June 2026
The energy that normally accompanies a race has been sapped.
—Jordan Bianchi, New York Times, 23 May 2026
That sapped momentum from AI stocks worldwide on Tuesday.
—Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Because the jagged, shallow seabed near the fjord’s mouth acted like a speed bump that sapped the wave’s energy, people onboard the cruise ship came out of the event unscathed.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 10 May 2026
The currency has rallied after sliding 4% in March as the Iran war sapped global risk sentiment.
—David Finnerty, Bloomberg, 20 Apr. 2026
Jacobs stopped recording a few years ago as worsening health problems sapped his desire to go out and see concerts.
—ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
Now, as a 30-something man who long since had the creativity sapped out of him by life, this was mildly frustrating at first.
—Ian Stokes, Space.com, 5 Apr. 2026
Verb
Little surprise that the pair explore the wider context of Brazil’s 1970 World Cup triumph, namely the military dictatorship that sapped national pride and heaped enormous pressure on a team — one who’d stunk up the tournament four years earlier — to restore it.
—Jon O'Brien, Vulture, 10 June 2026
But years of water use that outpaced the Colorado River’s shrinking flows have, over the past two decades, sapped the reservoir’s water stores and created an existential crisis for water managers across the basin, home to 40 million people.
—Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 7 June 2026
The energy that normally accompanies a race has been sapped.
—Jordan Bianchi, New York Times, 23 May 2026
That sapped momentum from AI stocks worldwide on Tuesday.
—Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Because the jagged, shallow seabed near the fjord’s mouth acted like a speed bump that sapped the wave’s energy, people onboard the cruise ship came out of the event unscathed.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 10 May 2026
The currency has rallied after sliding 4% in March as the Iran war sapped global risk sentiment.
—David Finnerty, Bloomberg, 20 Apr. 2026
Jacobs stopped recording a few years ago as worsening health problems sapped his desire to go out and see concerts.
—ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
Now, as a 30-something man who long since had the creativity sapped out of him by life, this was mildly frustrating at first.
—Ian Stokes, Space.com, 5 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sapped
Adjective
-
As the story goes, attendance was weak, the weather was bad, and the tournament experience was just lacking.—
James Burky,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
-
As many as 40 states combine one-party control with institutional barriers weak enough to fall to political pressure.—
Bruce Sibley,
Time,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Since taking office in October 2024, President Prabowo Subianto has weakened the institutional guardrails that once constrained fiscal expansion and protected central‑bank independence.—
William Pesek,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
Over the course of two summers, the Kings weakened the fulcrum of their roster by losing Matt Roy and Vladislav Gavrikov in free agency, then exacerbating matters by casting off Jordan Spence for a modest return.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
Osa Odighizuwa won’t ever be confused for Garrett, but the 49ers are convinced their feeble pass rush will improve thanks to Odighizuwa’s interior work.—
Cam Inman,
Mercury News,
9 June 2026
-
The Rock People were a feeble attempt to cash in on the shapeshifting craze, as Stonedar, Rokkon, and Granita (the latter never immortalized as an action figure) could turn themselves into… er, meteors.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
But after discussions with business owners, Lucas softened his stance.—
Katelyn Umholtz,
Kansas City Star,
11 June 2026
-
Models moved through the room as guests held martinis and champagne cocktails, the old banking-room architecture softened by greenery, music and the glow of a crowd that had clearly understood the brief.—
Noel Burgess,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
After years of relying on mining, a relatively poor economy that was eventually exhausted, the island turned to tourism.—
Valentina Di Donato,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
-
Jurors exhausted after emotional trial Jurors appeared emotionally exhausted after the verdict.—
Jennifer McLogan,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
The Cubs couldn’t add any more, and the Rockies wasted no time putting pressure on Daniel Palencia in the bottom of the frame.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
11 June 2026
-
The report found millions of dollars wasted on meals and operations billed at full capacity even when the actual detainee population was far lower.—
Sergio Martínez-Beltrán,
NPR,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sapped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sapped. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
