1
as in to undermine
to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality
overuse has devitalized many a once-striking figure of speech
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to weaken
to diminish the physical strength of
she was devitalized by the infection
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of devitalize
This can devitalize the plant to the point of it starting to die back.
—
oregonlive, 5 Feb. 2023
Miller’s writing début may have been precipitated by her assault, but the final work devitalizes its horrific beginnings.
—Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2019
His lip was completely destroyed with multiple linear lacerations, jagged lacerations, devitalized tissue, denervated tissue with a 12 cm laceration in multiple pieces of the entire left upper lift, the mucosal surface, and orbicularis.
—Edmund H. Mahony, courant.com, 1 June 2017
oregonlive, 5 Feb. 2023
Miller’s writing début may have been precipitated by her assault, but the final work devitalizes its horrific beginnings.
—Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2019
His lip was completely destroyed with multiple linear lacerations, jagged lacerations, devitalized tissue, denervated tissue with a 12 cm laceration in multiple pieces of the entire left upper lift, the mucosal surface, and orbicularis.
—Edmund H. Mahony, courant.com, 1 June 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devitalize
Verb
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This feels eerily similar to when Trump cut a deal with the Taliban while excluding the Afghan government—undermining their legitimacy and paving the way for disaster.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
17 Feb. 2025
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Those errors undermined one of the best afternoons of organisation that Wolves fans have witnessed from their team in a long time.—
Steve Madeley,
The Athletic,
16 Feb. 2025
Verb
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In the bond market, Treasury yields fell after a report said sales at U.S. retailers weakened by much more last month than economists expected.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2025
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His executive order, unless reversed by the courts, will encourage greater corruption in Latin America, hurting the region’s economies, weakening democratic institutions and making countries poorer.—
Andres Oppenheimer,
Miami Herald,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The swamp is not being drained; it’s being filled with more water than the Panama Canal.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2025
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Patrick Reed drained a hole-in-one at the 'Watering Hole,' which sent fans into a frenzy.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The governor took pains to soften his liberal attack dog image, praising the president as a cooperative partner during crisis.—
Lia Russell,
Sacramento Bee,
8 Feb. 2025
-
Add 2 tablespoons oil (3 tablespoons if not using pancetta), onion, and carrots to drippings in Dutch oven; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.—
Julia Levy,
Southern Living,
7 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The Cowboys seem to be more concerned about the possibility of cap hell than exhausting every last resource to win now.—
Jon Machota,
The Athletic,
13 Feb. 2025
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The Baltimore region has recently faced a volley of winter weather, exhausting some school systems of their snow days and leaving slippery roads behind.—
Dan Belson,
Baltimore Sun,
12 Feb. 2025
Verb
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That’s so her milk won’t be wasted nursing her children.—
Michael Freeman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 Feb. 2025
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Nearly half of digital investment is wasted due to misalignments between business and tech teams.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes,
19 Feb. 2025
Verb
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He was petrified by the thought of dying of cancer or some other disease whose senselessness disgusted him.—
Ian Buruma,
The New Yorker,
6 Jan. 2025
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Medusa was known in ancient Greece for petrifying anyone who dared to look her in the eye, and has been seen as a personification of madness.—
Sarah Belmont,
ARTnews.com,
17 Dec. 2024
Verb
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This relationship, when successful, tends to enervate mediating institutions that thwart the immediate desires of both the populist leader and the public.—
Cameron Hilditch,
National Review,
28 Feb. 2021
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The saving grace of this often enervating thriller is that Doscher grants time for his actors to build character and intimacy, and both Pinto and Odom offer warm, affectingly natural performances as two people facing the end of their world.—
Teo Bugbee,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2020
Thesaurus Entries Near devitalize
Cite this Entry
“Devitalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devitalize. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
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