emaciate

verb

ema·​ci·​ate i-ˈmā-shē-ˌāt 

-ˈmā-sē-

emaciated; emaciating

transitive verb

1

: to cause to lose flesh so as to become very thin

cattle emaciated by illness

2

: to make feeble

intransitive verb

: to waste away physically

emaciation

i-ˌmā-sē-ˈā-shən 

-ˌmā-sē-

noun

Synonyms

• decay
• droop
• fade
• fail
• flag
• go
• lag
• languish
• sag
• sink
• waste (away)
• weaken
• wilt
• wither

Examples of emaciate in a Sentence

without adequate medical supplies, doctors could only look on helplessly as cholera victims continued to emaciate

Recent Examples on the Web

At barely five pounds, Matilda was emaciated and clinging to life when the Monmouth County Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals took her in. —Kathleen Hopkins, USA TODAY, 30 May 2023

Six dead giraffes, bodies emaciated from the lack of food and water, photographed by Ed Ram, show the horror of Kenya’s prolonged ongoing drought, which has threatened and displaced animals and humans alike. —Nell Lewis, CNN, 29 Mar. 2023

Past herds of cows wandering through busy settlements along the highway in search of water, so emaciated their ribs were showing. —Jada Yuan, Washington Post, 24 Feb. 2023

Many were emaciated, unlike the examples in the current study. —Joshua Sokol, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2020

Three of them were severely malnourished and the rest were emaciated, according to the Sheriff's Office. —James Carr, azcentral, 21 Feb. 2020

Detectives noted that much of the food in the home was locked away and that James' body was emaciated when found. —Sarah Sarder, Houston Chronicle, 18 Feb. 2020

Scores of common murres, one of the most prolific seabirds, washed up on beaches, and many were emaciated, the researchers said. —oregonlive, 21 Jan. 2020

The 6-month-old calico and her sibling were found to be emaciated, with low body temperatures and stomach issues. —Arizona Republic, azcentral, 22 Nov. 2019

Word History

Etymology

Latin emaciatus, past participle of emaciare, from e- + macies leanness, from macer lean — more at meager

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for emaciate

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• accumulate
• acuminate
• adjudicate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate

Kids Definition

emaciate

verb

ema·​ci·​ate i-ˈmā-shē-ˌāt 

emaciated; emaciating

: to cause to lose flesh so as to become very thin

emaciation

-ˌmā-shē-ˈā-shən 

-sē-

noun

Medical Definition

emaciate

verb

ema·​ci·​ate i-ˈmā-shē-ˌāt 

emaciated; emaciating

transitive verb

: to cause to lose flesh so as to become very thin

intransitive verb

: to waste away physically