enervate

American  

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

verb (used with object)

enervates, present (3rd person singular) enervated, past participle, past enervating present participle

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

   Synonyms:

   exhaust, sap, debilitate, enfeeble

---

adjective

1. enervated.

enervate British  

verb

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

---

adjective

1. deprived of strength or vitality; weakened

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

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

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have enervated
  perfect
• has enervated
  perfect 3rd person singular
• are enervating
  progressive
• have been enervating
  perfect progressive
• has been enervating
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• am enervating
  progressive 1st person singular
• is enervating
  progressive 3rd person singular
• enervating
  participle
• enervates
  singular 3rd person

Past

• had enervated
  perfect
• had been enervating
  perfect progressive
• were enervating
  progressive plural
• was enervating
  progressive singular
• enervated
  participle
• enervated
  simple

Future

• will enervate
  simple
• will have enervated
  perfect
• will have been enervating
  perfect progressive
• will be enervating
  progressive

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; see origin at 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.