enervating 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of enervatingnext
as in exhausting

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

enervating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of enervate
1
as in undermining
to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality a lifetime of working in dreary jobs had enervated his very soul

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in weakening
to diminish the physical strength of the surgery really enervated me for weeks afterwards

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for enervating
  1. weakening
  2. undermining
  3. softening
  4. debilitating
  5. deadening
Verb
  • Additionally, stronger enforcement of existing sanctions and the introduction of tariffs on Russian goods, in addition to the goods of its backers — weakening Putin’s grip on power and the Russian economy.
    Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, TIME, 10 Dec. 2024
  • One concern Giordano brings up is rapamycin further weakening a person’s immune system.
    Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, Flow Space, 10 Dec. 2024
Definition of weakening
Verb
  • During the past 18 months, Johnson eliminated 456 Police Department vacancies, stunting any potential growth in ranks and canceled police academy training classes, further undermining the department’s future capability.
    Dylan Sharkey, Chicago Tribune, 11 Dec. 2024
  • Telecom companies and federal regulators were asleep on the job and as a result, Americans’ calls, messages, and phone records have been accessed by foreign spies intent on undermining our national security.
    Zak Doffman, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Definition of undermining
Verb
  • Avoid items that show signs of changes in food texture, such as softening or ice crystals.
    Merve Ceylan, Health, 10 Dec. 2024
  • For those with rounder faces, a fringe can add interest and elongate the face, and bangs can have a softening effect on those with more angular features.
    Ranyechi Udemezue, Vogue, 9 Dec. 2024
Definition of softening
Adjective
  • But in his new Netflix special, What Had Happened Was (now streaming on Netflix), Foxx reveals the harrowing details of the debilitating stroke that left him on the edge of death — and his arduous road to recovery.
    Krystie Lee Yandoli, Rolling Stone, 11 Dec. 2024
  • At the same time, his father fought to overcome the effects of a debilitating stroke.
    Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024
Definition of debilitating
Verb
  • Philips’ problems first surfaced publicly in June 2021, when the company warned that the noise-deadening foam lining its equipment, mostly CPAP machines, could break apart, sending potentially toxic particles and fumes into users’ throats and lungs.
    Peter Elkind, ProPublica, 22 Nov. 2024
  • Her days increasingly consisted of soul-deadening meetings and consultations.
    David W. Brown, The New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2024
Definition of deadening
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near enervating

enervates

enervating

enervation

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Enervating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enervating. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on enervating

Nglish: Translation of enervating for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of enervating for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

Point of View: It's Personal

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Words You Always Have to Look Up
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

10 Scrabble Words Without Any Vowels
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
naughty or nice
Are you naughty or nice? Quiz He's making a quiz, and checking it twice...