Enervate vs energize

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Grammarist

Enervate and energize are antonyms. Antonyms are are words that have meanings that are opposite to each other. We will examine the definitions of enervate and energize, where these words came from and some examples of their use in sentences.

Enervate means to drain someone of his energy, to make someone feel weak in a physical or mental way, to debilitate someone. Enervate is a transitive verb, which is a verb that takes an object. Related words are enervates, enervated, enervating, enervation, enervator, enervative. The word enervate is derived from the Latin word enervatus, meaning to weaken. Enervate is often misused as a synonym of the word energize, but it is an antonym.

Energize means to imbue someone with energy, to make someone feel strong in a physical or mental way, to fill someone with vitality. Energize is the antonym of enervate. It is also a transitive verb, related words are energizes, energized, energizing, energization. The word energize is derived from the Greek word energeia, meaning action or operation, and the suffix -ize which is used when converting nouns or adjectives to verbs. The British spelling of energize is energise.

Examples

Indeed, leaks are often used as a way to protect clients and enervate their competitors, while, not incidentally, making the public aware of things they should know. (Forbes Magazine)

Their goal is to “draw the West as deeply and actively as possible into the quagmire” and “to perpetually engage and enervate the United States and the West in a series of prolonged overseas ventures” in which they will undermine their own societies, expend their resources, and increase the level of violence, setting off the dynamic that Polk reviews. (The Nation)

“The year’s designees demonstrate that a well-planned street can stimulate the economy, create a sense of place and energize an entire community,” said Cynthia Bowen, president of the association, in the news release. (The Arizona Daily Star)

Christian Pulisic, the 19-year-old from Hershey, Pennsylvania, who is a rising star with Germany’s Borussia Dortmund, helped energise the US when he was shifted to central midfield from the flanks. (The Borneo Bulletin)