as in draining
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
as in weakening
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 sapping
ABC News, 28 Feb. 2026
But the theories stemming from the intense public interest can create serious problems for investigators — sapping time and resources that should be dedicated to solving the case and finding Guthrie, experts say.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
That morale-sapping defeat in Leeds was not the first of its kind since his late October appointment.
—Paul Taylor, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Seizing on the frigid weather, Russia has launched an all-out assault on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, with the apparent aim of keeping up pressure amid ongoing peace negotiations—and sapping public morale.
—Michael Holtz, New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2026
Too many turnaround attempts see a CEO throwing spaghetti at the wall in the hopes something will work, further confusing the rank and file and sapping their confidence in management.
—Phil Wahba, Fortune, 30 Jan. 2026
The energy-sapping pace of the game, with furious pressing and frenzied chasing, saw mistakes creep in, with Morocco caught flat by Nicolas Jackson’s 38th-minute pass to Iliman Ndiaye, whose shot was saved by Bounou.
—Reuters, NBC news, 18 Jan. 2026
Fueling the surges are power-sapping data hubs — one is planned for 160 acres in Grayslake — and the growth of artificial intelligence.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
To make matters worse, a gastrointestinal issue was sapping my strength.
—Tom Ward, Outside, 17 Nov. 2025
Verb
The losses were sapping their strength and stamina.
—ABC News, 28 Feb. 2026
But the theories stemming from the intense public interest can create serious problems for investigators — sapping time and resources that should be dedicated to solving the case and finding Guthrie, experts say.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
That morale-sapping defeat in Leeds was not the first of its kind since his late October appointment.
—Paul Taylor, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Seizing on the frigid weather, Russia has launched an all-out assault on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, with the apparent aim of keeping up pressure amid ongoing peace negotiations—and sapping public morale.
—Michael Holtz, New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2026
Too many turnaround attempts see a CEO throwing spaghetti at the wall in the hopes something will work, further confusing the rank and file and sapping their confidence in management.
—Phil Wahba, Fortune, 30 Jan. 2026
The energy-sapping pace of the game, with furious pressing and frenzied chasing, saw mistakes creep in, with Morocco caught flat by Nicolas Jackson’s 38th-minute pass to Iliman Ndiaye, whose shot was saved by Bounou.
—Reuters, NBC news, 18 Jan. 2026
Fueling the surges are power-sapping data hubs — one is planned for 160 acres in Grayslake — and the growth of artificial intelligence.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
To make matters worse, a gastrointestinal issue was sapping my strength.
—Tom Ward, Outside, 17 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sapping
Adjective
-
Long periods of socializing, like a weeklong conference, can feel far more draining than shorter events.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
28 Oct. 2025
-
By aligning strategic work with those rhythms, productivity can feel more natural and less draining.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The concentration of power in one person, the undermining of elections, disregarding the rule of law, the weakening checks and balances, and replacing constitutional loyalty with personal loyalty.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 Mar. 2026
-
The arrogance seen in 2010 is now also on display in how Lawson-Remer is making the case for weakening term limits as part of broader changes that would give the board’s Democratic majority (and its union allies) even more clout.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Researchers don’t know whether ADHD drugs actually protect against the underlying causes of more debilitating brain diseases.—
Yasmin Tayag,
The Atlantic,
25 Feb. 2026
-
When the cost of that effort became debilitating, vulnerability was prescribed as relief, without the transfer of any real power.—
Kelly Ehlers,
Rolling Stone,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This is a region that has emerged over the past several years as one of the few growth engines for an industry struggling with softening demand from Chinese consumers and a broader post-pandemic hangover.—
Ritu Upadhyay,
Footwear News,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Instead, try adding vinegar to the rinse cycle for a natural softening effect.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
How much was that, and not wasting their last opportunity together, on their minds?—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
1 Mar. 2026
-
That means, for example, not wasting other members' time by asking questions that could be easily answered by doing a Google search, or scrolling up or searching through the previous posts.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sapping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sapping. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
