Enervate: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Enervate verb. To drain someone of energy or strength.
How to say it
EN-uh-vayt/ˈɛnəveɪt/
3 syllables, stressed on the first (EN). Forms: enervated, enervating.
Enervate in a sentence
The humid heat enervated everyone by noon.
Months of night shifts left him enervated and pale.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- exhaust
- weaken
- sap
- drain
Opposite:
- energise
- invigorate
- revitalise
Careful
Enervate means weaken, the opposite of what it sounds like. People often use it to mean energise or excite, perhaps because of energy and nerves, but that sense isn't standard.
Where enervate comes from
From Latin enervare, to weaken, literally to cut out the sinews.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
Months of night shifts left him _____ and pale.
- enervate
- peruse
- comprise
Show the answer
enervate: Months of night shifts left him enervated and pale.