as in draining
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as in weakening
to diminish the physical strength of
weeks of hard work had sapped her and left her exhausted
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Recent Examples of sapping
Bryan T. Kelly, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
Yet there is scant appetite for such an effort before the midterms from party leadership—as well as from swing-state lawmakers and those who see it as the kind of therapy presenting as governance that risks sapping the party’s momentum.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 10 Apr. 2026
The prospect of an acute and prolonged oil shortage threatened to drive up prices for a vast array of goods, sapping energy from consumer spending, which powers most of the nation's economic growth.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
Sharply rising oil prices and sudden shortages of critical materials such as fertilizer can quickly permeate an economy and cause all kinds of goods and services to increase in price while sapping precious household income.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026
But just as yesterday’s cheerleaders oversold, today’s skeptics go overboard in sapping Americans’ confidence.
—Gil Troy, New York Daily News, 29 Mar. 2026
Wikipedia will still have to contend with AI bots sapping its bandwidth, but at least this will ensure that the text those AIs are learning from is accurate and human-generated—not some AI ouroboros.
—Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026
Despite morale-sapping staff layoffs, bizarre executive orders and a 43-day federal government shutdown last fall, the grandeur and serenity of national parks in California remain irresistible to outdoors lovers looking to unwind.
—Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2026
That helps explain why every rally is dying on arrival — burned holders sell into any bounce, sapping upward momentum.
—Phil Serafino, Bloomberg, 25 Feb. 2026
Verb
But too often those extra years are not healthy ones — sapping the sweetness from what should be our golden years.
—Bryan T. Kelly, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
Yet there is scant appetite for such an effort before the midterms from party leadership—as well as from swing-state lawmakers and those who see it as the kind of therapy presenting as governance that risks sapping the party’s momentum.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 10 Apr. 2026
The prospect of an acute and prolonged oil shortage threatened to drive up prices for a vast array of goods, sapping energy from consumer spending, which powers most of the nation's economic growth.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
Sharply rising oil prices and sudden shortages of critical materials such as fertilizer can quickly permeate an economy and cause all kinds of goods and services to increase in price while sapping precious household income.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026
But just as yesterday’s cheerleaders oversold, today’s skeptics go overboard in sapping Americans’ confidence.
—Gil Troy, New York Daily News, 29 Mar. 2026
Wikipedia will still have to contend with AI bots sapping its bandwidth, but at least this will ensure that the text those AIs are learning from is accurate and human-generated—not some AI ouroboros.
—Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026
Despite morale-sapping staff layoffs, bizarre executive orders and a 43-day federal government shutdown last fall, the grandeur and serenity of national parks in California remain irresistible to outdoors lovers looking to unwind.
—Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2026
That helps explain why every rally is dying on arrival — burned holders sell into any bounce, sapping upward momentum.
—Phil Serafino, Bloomberg, 25 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sapping
Adjective
-
Asch recommends finding a driver-friendly activity to make time on the road feel less draining, such as listening to an audiobook or podcast.—
Carolyn Stein,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
-
Long periods of socializing, like a weeklong conference, can feel far more draining than shorter events.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
No ‘victory image’ for Tehran Ruhe similarly argued that Israel wants to avoid any agreement that restores legitimacy to the Iranian regime without fundamentally weakening it.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
6 May 2026
-
Forecasters say geomagnetic activity is gradually weakening, but lingering disturbances in Earth's magnetic field could still spark visible displays overnight, particularly in northern regions.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
In the third, and most debilitating, patients withdraw from the world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Cobain had struggled for years with depression, substance abuse issues and a debilitating, unexplained stomach ailment.—
Nicole Briese,
PEOPLE,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Additionally, there was mention of softening or pricing pressures stemming from the conflict with Iran, which has driven oil prices higher.—
Bill Stone,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
-
The moisture activates the surfactants and softening agents embedded in the sheet.—
Jamie Cuccinelli,
Martha Stewart,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
This perspective suggests that while critics worry about wasting public funds on wealthy families, universal programs historically have maintained stronger political support, exemplified by the enduring nature of Social Security and Medicare.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
-
For months, thousands have been detained there in inhumane conditions without meaningful due process–while wasting millions of taxpayer dollars.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sapping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sapping. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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