enervate

American  

[en-er-veyt, ih-nur-vit] / ˈɛn ərˌveɪt, ɪˈnɜr vɪt /

verb (used with object)

enervated, enervating

1. to deprive of force or strength; destroy the vigor of; weaken.

   Synonyms:

   exhaust, sap, debilitate, enfeeble

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adjective

1. enervated.

enervate British  

verb

1. (tr) to deprive of strength or vitality; weaken physically or mentally; debilitate

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adjective

1. deprived of strength or vitality; weakened

Other Word Forms

• enervation noun
• enervative adjective
• enervator noun
• nonenervating adjective

Etymology

Origin of enervate

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin ēnervātus “weakened” (past participle of ēnervāre “to weaken”), equivalent to ē- “from, out of” + nerv(us) “sinew” + -ātus adjective suffix; e- ¹, nerve, -ate ¹; compare Anglo-French enervir, French énerver

Explanation

To enervate is to weaken, wear down, or even bum out. Although a three-hour lecture on the history of socks might thrill someone, it would enervate most people. So would a too-long soak in a hot tub. With your parents. Trace enervate back far enough and you'll discover that it comes from the Latin enervare which means basically “to cut the sinew” or “to cause to be cut from the muscle.” That would certainly weaken someone. These days, there’s no need for violence. To enervate someone is to sap their energy, like by reading your ex all the love letters your new sweetheart wrote you. When something enervates you, it does more than get on your nerves; it brings you down.

Example Sentences

Removing this key link of Westlake Avenue at this critical juncture could undo much of the recovery we’ve fought for and permanently enervate the small businesses of South Lake Union.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 9, 2024

Family crises that some might view as a call to action mostly just enervate her: She doesn’t need another reminder that middle age can be overwhelmingly hard and ponderously boring.

From Washington Post • Jan. 14, 2022

Worries over the potential of technology to isolate and enervate citizens long predate Max Headroom, to be sure.

From Slate • Nov. 29, 2019

We prefer wines that are nimble and energetic, that refresh the palate rather than enervate.

From New York Times • Nov. 1, 2018

The voyage by boat, however, would probably enervate me, and I am certainly not perverse enough to attempt air travel even if I were able to afford it.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole