to undermine; gradually or insidiously weaken or destroy.
Fortification.
to approach (a besieged place or an enemy position) by means of deep, narrow trenches protected by gabions or parapets.
to dig such trenches in (ground).
a solution of mineral salts, sugars, etc, that circulates in a plant
any vital body fluid
energy; vigour
slang a gullible or foolish person
another name for sapwood
to undermine (a fortification, etc) by digging saps
(tr) to weaken
The watery fluid that circulates through a plant that has vascular tissues. Sap moving up the xylem carries water and minerals, while sap moving down the phloem carries water and food.
See cell sap
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English sæp; cognate with Dutch sap; akin to German Saft juice, Old Norse safi; sap 1 in def. 5 a shortening of saphead
First recorded in 1585–95; from French noun sape “spade, spadework,” derivative of saper “to dig a trench,” from Italian zappare “to undermine,” a military term, based on zappa “hoe”
First recorded in 1895–1900; perhaps shortening of sapling or sapwood (used as a tool or weapon)
To sap something is to drain or deplete something over time. If you sap a maple tree, you drain the liquid inside it to make maple syrup. But if you sap a person of strength, you've rendered him defenseless. Whether used as a noun or verb, sap is rarely a good thing. If your energy or will is sapped, it’s not meant lightly; it means you have been exhausted of all your reserve energy, you’re reduced to a shell. If someone calls you "a sap," it suggests you lack strength and character. And if you get sap — the sticky liquid inside a tree — on your hands, good luck getting it off in the middle of a forest without a bar of soap and running water. Yuck.
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Giant hogweed contains a sap which can leave painful blistering and scarring when it comes into contact with human skin.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
One such chemical is sulfoxaflor, a next generation pesticide introduced in 2013 to eliminate sap feeding insects such as aphids on crops including soybeans and corn.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 10, 2026
In a bearish development, Apple raised the prices of its Macs and iPads early Thursday morning, unsettling investors who are concerned it could sap demand for chips.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
They slice into the skin and hang receptacles to gather the drip of white sap.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026
He chose a perfect daisy and, using his handkerchief to avoid being soiled by the sap, carefully cut through the stem with his penknife.
From "Abel's Island" by William Steig
The group’s current cloud backlog—a closely watched measure of sales that SAP expects over the coming year based on existing contracts—grew 26% at constant currencies in the second quarter, above expectations of around 24%.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
However, SAP cut its outlook for the year, citing a €100 million impact from the acquisition of data platforms Prior Labs and Dremio.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
SAP rose about 9.3% after the German software company reported better-than-expected cloud revenue, offering some relief to the battered software sector.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
Shares of SAP rose on Friday after the company reported strong revenue growth in its cloud business, but analysts at Oppenheimer warn there are risks to its guidance.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
SAP, s. liquid of any kind taken to solids.
From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume XXIV. by Leighton, Alexander
The king of Ithaca’s pride in his ingenious trick is steadily sapped by a series of cosmic punishments.
From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2026
Every one of the 13 penalties England conceded sapped their momentum, ceded territory and ratcheted up pressure.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
Yet, in these cases, the great powers had to give up because of protracted, painful insurgencies that followed conventional military victories and eventually sapped domestic support for war.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026
Sparked by Max Muncy’s leadoff home runs in the second and fifth innings, the hot hitters up and down the Dodgers’ lineup sapped the suspense from the first of a four-game wraparound series.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 17, 2026
The girls sat in the sand, sapped of all energy.
From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray
The dollar has also weakened over the past year and a half, down nearly 10% against the euro since the start of 2025, sapping the purchasing power of travelers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
What it suggests is each rally is sapping more and more strength from the bulls.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 19, 2026
Rising bond yields around the world are sapping investors’ appetite for stocks, interrupting a chip-stock rally that fueled major stock indexes to fresh highs this week.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026
But playing long into the summer in sapping conditions to become world champions is beginning to take its toll.
From Barron's ● Dec. 28, 2025
I didn’t notice it until I was already outside, the darkening sky sapping away the last bit of the van’s warmth from my skin.
From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
