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sap

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word sap distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of sap are cripple, debilitate, disable, enfeeble, undermine, and weaken. While all these words mean "to lose or cause to lose strength or vigor," undermine and sap suggest a weakening by something working surreptitiously and insidiously.

a poor diet undermines your health
drugs had sapped his ability to think

In what contexts can cripple take the place of sap?

While the synonyms cripple and sap are close in meaning, cripple implies causing a serious loss of functioning power through damaging or removing an essential part or element.

crippled by arthritis

When can debilitate be used instead of sap?

The words debilitate and sap are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, debilitate suggests a less marked or more temporary impairment of strength or vitality.

the debilitating effects of surgery

When would disable be a good substitute for sap?

The words disable and sap can be used in similar contexts, but disable suggests bringing about impairment or limitation in a physical or mental ability.

disabled by an injury sustained at work

When might enfeeble be a better fit than sap?

While in some cases nearly identical to sap, enfeeble implies a condition of marked weakness and helplessness.

enfeebled by starvation

Where would weaken be a reasonable alternative to sap?

In some situations, the words weaken and sap are roughly equivalent. However, weaken may imply loss of physical strength, health, soundness, or stability or of quality, intensity, or effective power.

a disease that weakens the body's defenses

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 sap
Noun
The property also has a sugar shack with two 20,000-gallon silos to hold the sap. Peter Baugh, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025 Cold water can solidify the sap and clog the tree, so use warm water. Cody Godwin, USA TODAY, 5 Dec. 2024
Verb
In a new interview, Phil Collins reveals that health issues have not only prevented him from performing live but have also sapped his desire to make new music. Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 21 Feb. 2025 After a sobering final year with Mercedes that appeared to sap some of the fizz from his love for F1, often hamstrung by an underperforming car, Hamilton has a fresh spring in his step. Luke Smith, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sap
Noun
  • The world needs energy projects given its growing needs.
    Gaurav Sharma, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
  • The Trump administration believes its plans to push energy prices down by cutting red tape and encouraging production will help offset tariff costs for businesses, something that’s key to the data center industry where power is a major cost, a White House official said.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Clip away suckers or small sprouts that are growing from the base of the tree.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2025
  • Extended deterrence was a sham, and the people who relied on it were suckers.
    Gideon Rose, Foreign Affairs, 8 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Hackman, 95, racked by advanced Alzheimer’s disease, then died in a mudroom on the other side of the house, a cane and sunglasses nearby.
    Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY, 10 Mar. 2025
  • Think real greenery and houseplants, breezy linens, rattan and cane furnishings and decor, light wood furnishings, and a palette of crisp whites, greens, and warm terracotta tones.
    Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • What do these cuts mean for the millions of students who rely on federal financial aid, the schools that depend on federal funding, and the overall health of the U.S. education system?
    Scott White, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
  • However, the total net interest payments year to date rose to $396 billion, just behind national defense and health.
    Jeff Cox, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Consumers are already losing confidence and pulling back on spending, weakening a key engine of the economy.
    Axios, Axios, 11 Mar. 2025
  • In an all-staff e-mail, Dudek wrote: Criticism, contempt, stonewalling, and defensiveness are the four forces that can end any relationship and weaken any institution. . .
    E. Tammy Kim, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Diane von Furstenberg: Woman Before Fashion builds on that work with new vigor and a new dimension - the creative energy and conquering spirit of one extraordinary woman.
    Tom Teicholz, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
  • Such pruning renews plant vigor and encourages new healthy shoots.
    Tom MacCubbin, Orlando Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The incident occurred last Tuesday during a championship meet, as footage showed Everett smashing her baton onto the head of Brookville High School junior Kaelen Tucker during a relay race.
    Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 14 Mar. 2025
  • The high school athlete who bashed a competitor in the head with her baton during a track meet in Virginia is now facing criminal charges.
    Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 13 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Her strength is not just in her ability to fight, but in her refusal to disappear.
    Tiffany Leigh, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
  • Still, her look of the day was pretty ab-baring, and Gentry showed some serious core strength for it, despite her penchant for relaxing.
    Rhonda Richford, WWD, 12 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sap. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

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