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GRE vocabulary

enervate

verbHigh-frequency wordMore E words

to drain of energy, vitality, or strength

Word origin: From Latin enervare, to remove the sinew, from nervus, sinew.

In a sentence

Enervate in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing enervate in a sentence.

The relentless heat enervated even the most determined hikers.

The relentless heat enervated the crew until even routine repairs felt insurmountable.

Synonyms
Antonyms
invigorateenergizestrengthen
Usage & nuance

Using “enervate” well

Enervate means to drain of vitality, leaving something weak and listless. Despite the prefix, it does not mean to energize; that false association is its most common error.

Common questions

Questions about “enervate

Enervate (verb) means to drain of energy, vitality, or strength
Here is enervate used in an example sentence: "The relentless heat enervated even the most determined hikers." Another example: "The relentless heat enervated the crew until even routine repairs felt insurmountable."
Common synonyms for enervate include weaken, sap, debilitate.
Antonyms of enervate include invigorate, energize, strengthen.
Clusters with weaken, sap, and debilitate in Sentence Equivalence. Its antonyms invigorate, energize, and strengthen are common foils, and the mistaken energize reading is the trap.
Yes. Enervate is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

Learn words the way the GRE tests them.

Vocabulary sticks when you meet it in real sentences. Practise these words inside text completion and sentence equivalence questions.