stultify

[ stuhl-tuh-fahy ]

/ ˈstʌl təˌfaɪ /

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verb (used with object), stul·ti·fied, stul·ti·fy·ing.

to make, or cause to appear, foolish or ridiculous.

to render absurdly or wholly futile or ineffectual, especially by degrading or frustrating means: Menial work can stultify the mind.

Law. to allege or prove (oneself or another person) to be of unsound mind.

verb (used without object), stul·ti·fied, stul·ti·fy·ing.

to become ineffectual or impaired, especially through frustrating, stifling, or deadening conditions: Without novelty the mind can stultify.

OTHER WORDS FOR stultify

2 benumb, deaden, dull; frustrate, impede, negate, thwart.

See synonyms for stultify on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of stultify

First recorded in 1760–70; from Late Latin stultificāre, equivalent to Latin stult(us) “stupid” + -i- -i- + -ficāre -fy

OTHER WORDS FROM stultify

stul·ti·fi·ca·tion

[stuhl-tuh-fi-key-shuhn], /ˌstʌl tə fɪˈkeɪ ʃən/, nounstul·ti·fi·er, nounstul·ti·fy·ing·ly, adverbnon·stul·ti·fi·ca·tion, noun

un·stul·ti·fied, adjectiveun·stul·ti·fy·ing, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use stultify in a sentence

It began, for them all, with the urge to seek some form of liberty and escape the stultifying conventions of Regency England.
The Man Who Invented Vampires and the Creepiest Literary Gathering Ever|Emma Garman|November 24, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The ubiquity of burgers (sliders and/or full-sizers) has been overwhelming, and stultifying.
Tacos Conquer the World|Jacquelynn D. Powers|October 6, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Once he forgot recounting the past, out went the stultifying “obligations.”
Martin Amis' Sexual Revolution|Olivia Cole|May 10, 2010|DAILY BEAST
"Twenty-six miserable boys are already having a detestable and stultifying education in this wretched class," lamented Mr. Neech.
Sinister Street, vol. 1|Compton Mackenzie

How was he to let her down from the dizzy height of her illusion without hurting her cruelly or stultifying himself?
The Open Question|Elizabeth Robins
This had great importance in racial survival, but had very stultifying effects on individual personality.
Deathworld|Harry Harrison
So, though engaged in stultifying occupation through most of her hours, she was able to find food for mental growth.
Within the Law|Marvin Dana
All over the world socialists are breaking away from the stultifying influence of the outworn determinism.
A Preface to Politics|Walter Lippmann

British Dictionary definitions for stultify

stultify

/ (ˈstʌltɪˌfaɪ) /

verb -fies, -fying or -fied (tr)

to make useless, futile, or ineffectual, esp by routine

to cause to appear absurd or inconsistent

to prove (someone) to be of unsound mind and thus not legally responsible

Derived forms of stultify

stultification, nounstultifier, noun

Word Origin for stultify

C18: from Latin stultus stupid + facere to make

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

stultify

OTHER WORDS FOR stultify

Origin of stultify

OTHER WORDS FROM stultify

Words related to stultify

How to use stultify in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for stultify

Derived forms of stultify

Word Origin for stultify