Sap

medium

sap

verb

Definition

(verb) To gradually weaken or destroy; to drain of energy

Examples

The long illness sapped his strength.
Constant criticism sapped her confidence.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Categories

GRE Tip

Sap is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "weaken" or "undermine" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "strengthen".

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