Enervate
verb /ˈenərveɪt/ — To weaken; to drain of energy or vitality.
Definition
To cause someone to feel drained of energy or vitality; to weaken physically or mentally.
Beyond the definition
Enervate is the word for the specific exhaustion of being slowly depleted — by bureaucracy, by heat, by repetitive meetings, by a relationship that gives nothing back. It's more precise than tired: enervated means your reserves have been drawn down.
Origin & history
From Latin enervare (to weaken by cutting sinews) — from e- (out) + nervus (sinew, strength). Literally: to remove the sinews from. The body without its sinews cannot act.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The tropical heat enervated even the most energetic members of the expedition.
Years of bureaucratic resistance had enervated the reformers' original enthusiasm.
A diet of passive entertainment enervates the mind more than it rests it.
How to use it
This entry uses a verb. Follow the examples for tense and any objects or prepositions it needs.
Choose “Enervate” when the meaning fits your context: To cause someone to feel drained of energy or vitality; to weaken physically or mentally.
Synonyms
weaken, debilitate, exhaust, drain, sap
Antonyms
energise, invigorate, strengthen, animate
Related words
- debilitate
- lassitude
- ennui
- torpor
Enervate vs exhaust
Exhaust means to use up or drain completely — you can exhaust a supply, exhaust your patience, exhaust yourself. Enervate is more specific: it means to drain of nervous energy and vitality, leaving someone weakened rather than simply tired. To be exhausted is to have nothing left; to be enervated is to have had your strength drawn out by something — bureaucracy, repetition, heat. Exhaustion happens through effort; enervation happens despite it.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Drained of Energy
An adult sits on a bench in a park with their head in their hands.
The person’s utter fatigue and disconnection from the crowd show how the world’s struggles can enervate an individual. They appear completely drained of energy, weakened by the persistent, heavy burden of witnessing chaos they cannot fix.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Enervate" mean?
Enervate is verb meaning: To weaken; to drain of energy or vitality.. To cause someone to feel drained of energy or vitality; to weaken physically or mentally.
Where does the word "Enervate" come from?
From Latin enervare (to weaken by cutting sinews) — from e- (out) + nervus (sinew, strength). Literally: to remove the sinews from. The body without its sinews cannot act.