EMACIATE Synonyms: 27 Similar and Opposite Words

emaciate

verb

i-ˈmā-shē-ˌāt

Definition of emaciate

as in to weaken

to lose bodily strength or vigor without adequate medical supplies, doctors could only look on helplessly as cholera victims continued to emaciate

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of emaciate Ruby’s 10-year-old daughter was also found in the house emaciated, and the two women were arrested and held without bail. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 11 Oct. 2024 At barely five pounds, Matilda was emaciated and clinging to life when the Monmouth County Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals took her in. — Kathleen Hopkins, USA TODAY, 30 May 2023 Past herds of cows wandering through busy settlements along the highway in search of water, so emaciated their ribs were showing. — Jada Yuan, Washington Post, 24 Feb. 2023 Many were emaciated, unlike the examples in the current study. — Joshua Sokol, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2020 Three of them were severely malnourished and the rest were emaciated, according to the Sheriff's Office. — James Carr, azcentral, 21 Feb. 2020 Detectives noted that much of the food in the home was locked away and that James' body was emaciated when found. — Sarah Sarder, Houston Chronicle, 18 Feb. 2020 Scores of common murres, one of the most prolific seabirds, washed up on beaches, and many were emaciated, the researchers said. — oregonlive, 21 Jan. 2020

Recent Examples of Synonyms for emaciate

Verb

That makes the world a more dangerous place, where a mistake by just one actor could ignite a regional firestorm, with a US military weakened by Iran unable to ensure American security.

— Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
Hurricane Lala weakened to a tropical storm Sunday after skirting Hawaii without making landfall, but it wasn’t done punishing the Big Island with hurricane-force gusts.

— Alexa St. John, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of weaken

Verb

Similar bouts of traders closing short positions in early June and early July initially pushed prices higher before the gains eventually faded.

— Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026
Isabelle Huppert and Virginie Efira led Farhadi’s French-language Parallel Tales, a film about Sylvie (Huppert), a fading novelist in search of inspiration for her next book, who starts spying on her neighbors across the street.

— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of fade

Verb

But Vicki immediately goes past Meredith Marks (disengaging) to Amanda Frances (opening her laptop and working), even as the others try to earn their paychecks by poking at her.

— Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 17 Aug. 2026
The search is underway for a person who went missing while jet skiing off the Long Beach coast on Sunday night.

— Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of go

Verb

That can lead to structural problems, from drawer fronts pulling off to flimsy drawer bottoms sagging or falling out under the weight of their contents.

— Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 14 Aug. 2026
Either of the Serie A strikers would boost the sagging Five Stripes (3-12-3) for the rest of the MLS schedule.

— Michael Cunningham, AJC.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of sag

Verb

Researchers can look for this signal by measuring the average vertical direction of the positrons produced when the muons decay.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026
The new owners took over the keys to a tired and decaying club in the spring and have since overseen a summer renovation that has stretched from assembling a new first-team squad to restoring hot water to Hillsborough.

— Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of decay

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Elysiums

emaciate

emaciated

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“Emaciate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/emaciate. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of emaciate

verb

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