SAPPING Synonyms: 66 Similar and Opposite Words

sapping 1 of 2

adjective

as in draining

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Dissimilar Words

sapping

2 of 2

verb

present participle of sap

as in weakening

to diminish the physical strength of weeks of hard work had sapped her and left her exhausted

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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 sapping

Verb

Partita takes a poem that vibrates with political energy and domesticates it, sapping this very famous verse of its revolutionary bite. — Sam Worley, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026 Stubbornly high inflation has been sapping consumer confidence and pressuring the Fed, which recently raised its benchmark interest rate in an effort to cool prices. — Damian J. Troise, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026 High gasoline prices have been fueling a broader jump in inflation, squeezing household budgets and sapping consumer confidence. — ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026 The yield surge is largely a result of mounting investor concerns about persistent US inflation and ballooning government debt, as well as competition from corporate AI-buildout debt that is sapping demand for Treasuries. — Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026 The transition from farms, the open range, and artisanal workshops to offices and large, impersonal, factories was seen as sapping virility—just as our tiny cubicles and remote workstations are said to do today. — Michael Kimmel, Time, 15 Aug. 2026 None of these potentially confidence-sapping passages fazed Madjo. — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026 Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme heat in Europe, the world’s fastest-warming continent, straining power grids, sapping water supplies and curbing farm output. — Bloomberg, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2026 Hotter temperatures can suck water out of the atmosphere, sapping humidity levels and drying out plants. — Sarah Henry, AZCentral.com, 7 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sapping

Adjective

This is a good time to organize the list, clarify expectations, or make a routine feel less draining.

— Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Aug. 2026
Speaking of the part of van life spent behind the wheel, Volkswagen has slightly reworked the Grand California's driver-assistance suite to make driving a little less draining.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 10 July 2026

Definition of draining

Verb

OpenAI disclosed a pair of safety incidents that involved AI agents weakening their safety monitoring systems during internal coding tasks.

— Emma Roth, The Verge, 21 Oct. 2026
Meanwhile, weakening brand loyalty threatens an advantage established manufacturers have relied on for decades.

— Matthew Tan, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of weakening

Adjective

According to the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), threats to these sectors can create debilitating impacts on the economy, public health and safety.

— Julie Song, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2026
That’s a good thing, in the sense that even if a child is infected, the vast majority do not develop debilitating, and potentially fatal, consequences.

— Eli Cahan, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of debilitating

Verb

Medik8 Advanced Night Ceramide is a rich overnight cream that helps replenish dry skin while softening the look of crepiness, fine lines, and rough texture.

— Christa Joanna Lee, Glamour, 23 Oct. 2026
Scientists at the Beckman Institute have been tracking levels of plastic-softening phthalates in the blood of children since before they were born up until age 11.

— Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of softening

Verb

The challenge is integrating these capabilities into a defense that can quickly identify threats, select an appropriate response, and avoid wasting expensive interceptors on inexpensive drones.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026
The city of Milwaukee waited 46 years to see its team in the Fall Classic, and this year's Brewers wanted to stop wasting time.

— Ryan Morik OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of wasting

Browse Nearby Words

sappiness

sapping

sappy

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Sapping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sapping. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of sapping

adjective

verb

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