1
as in suckers
one who is easily deceived or cheated
some poor sap would probably fall for that telephone scam
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in canes
a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment
the sadistic prison guards freely used their saps to enforce discipline
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in weakens
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
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Recent Examples of saps
Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 16 Dec. 2025
Certain bark layers, saps, and other plant matter can actually photoluminesce.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 16 Oct. 2025
That functional mismatch saps away at the comedy of a film clearly made to be enjoyed by a global audience.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2025
As transistors continue to be made tinier, the interconnects that supply them with current must be packed ever closer and be made ever finer, which increases resistance and saps power.
—Divya Prasad, IEEE Spectrum, 26 Aug. 2021
Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Cast and crew are emotionally invested in the urgency of the material, but the bland competency of the whole affair saps it of power.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 16 Dec. 2025
Their style saps all the kitsch from beachy design and leaves just the parts that feel traveled, artisanal, and sophisticated.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 28 Nov. 2025
Internal resistance from the membrane’s structure saps additional efficiency.
—Tejasri Gururaj, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
Tariffs are taxes on production, government spending is a tax on progress, deportation saps workforce productivity, and the weak dollar (see the gold price) is a tax on investment.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
But the county’s fire union contends the switch saps Fire Rescue funds from long-term plans to add fire trucks, stations and crews in areas of the county needing better coverage to lower response times.
—Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 23 Aug. 2025
Sweetgreen’s stumbles have reinforced doubts about whether premium salad chains can thrive in today’s value-conscious dining environment, especially as hybrid work saps the desk-lunch crowd and consumers search for more affordable options.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2025
The two types—NMOS and PMOS—must maintain a certain distance to limit capacitance that saps the devices’ performance and power consumption.
—IEEE Spectrum, 25 May 2023
Noun
The end of a new president’s first year is supposed to be a pivot point, when midterm elections come into focus and party leaders game out what can still be accomplished before campaigning saps Washington’s will to do anything at all.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 16 Dec. 2025
Certain bark layers, saps, and other plant matter can actually photoluminesce.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 16 Oct. 2025
That functional mismatch saps away at the comedy of a film clearly made to be enjoyed by a global audience.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2025
As transistors continue to be made tinier, the interconnects that supply them with current must be packed ever closer and be made ever finer, which increases resistance and saps power.
—Divya Prasad, IEEE Spectrum, 26 Aug. 2021
Verb
An overreliance on tools weakens our civilization (and saps the film’s dramatic thrills).
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Cast and crew are emotionally invested in the urgency of the material, but the bland competency of the whole affair saps it of power.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 16 Dec. 2025
Their style saps all the kitsch from beachy design and leaves just the parts that feel traveled, artisanal, and sophisticated.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 28 Nov. 2025
Internal resistance from the membrane’s structure saps additional efficiency.
—Tejasri Gururaj, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
Tariffs are taxes on production, government spending is a tax on progress, deportation saps workforce productivity, and the weak dollar (see the gold price) is a tax on investment.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
But the county’s fire union contends the switch saps Fire Rescue funds from long-term plans to add fire trucks, stations and crews in areas of the county needing better coverage to lower response times.
—Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 23 Aug. 2025
Sweetgreen’s stumbles have reinforced doubts about whether premium salad chains can thrive in today’s value-conscious dining environment, especially as hybrid work saps the desk-lunch crowd and consumers search for more affordable options.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2025
The two types—NMOS and PMOS—must maintain a certain distance to limit capacitance that saps the devices’ performance and power consumption.
—IEEE Spectrum, 25 May 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for saps
Noun
-
Additionally, prune any dead branches, thorny suckers, and any branches that may be touching the ground.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
2 Jan. 2026
-
Begin by removing any suckers at the base of the tree, side shoots on the trunk, crossing or crooked branches, dead or damaged branches, those that are growing inward, and crowded branches.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
31 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
To rejuvenate an older plant, cut 50 to 75% of the oldest, thickest canes back to the ground to allow for new shoots to develop.—
Rita Pelczar,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Dec. 2025
-
Wait until mid-to-late November to remove dead or diseased canes and reduce the overall size of the rose plant.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
27 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
An overreliance on tools weakens our civilization (and saps the film’s dramatic thrills).—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Ignoring this reality weakens any serious climate plan.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
By Monday afternoon, the unrest had spread to the northeastern city of Mashhad, where demonstrators gathered in central squares and clashed with riot police who moved in with batons.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
30 Dec. 2025
-
Dozens of agents swarmed the area along with a military vehicle, Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition, told USA TODAY, saying agents used batons and mace on demonstrators.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The seat is made of high-density foam that softens with use and has a supportive spring underpinning.—
Shea Simmons,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The luxe liquid exfoliates skin with tiny pieces of volcanic rock, eliminates garlic and onion odors with bread yeast enzymes, and softens hands with olive oil esters.—
Mark Marino,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Leaving grow lights on around the clock stresses your plants and wastes energy.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Proposition 50 mocks California voters and wastes hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars in the process.—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn,
Oc Register,
21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Saps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/saps. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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