- Today's Word
Enervate
EN-er-vayt
Definition
- (verb) To weaken or drain of energy or vitality.
Example
The intense heat enervated the hikers by midday.
Fun Fact
“Enervate” often gets confused—it sounds like it should mean “energize,” but it’s the opposite. Derived from Latin enervare (“to weaken the sinews”), it’s used to describe anything that saps strength—stress, illness, or even tedious meetings. Historical uses describe soldiers worn down by long marches or armies enervated by internal conflict.
(adjective) focused on practical results and real-world consequences rather than ideals, theories, or abstract principles.
Instead of arguing over perfect solutions, she took a pragmatic approach and fixed what could be done immediately.
Pragmatic traces back to the Greek word pragmatikos, meaning “relating to deeds or actions,” from pragma (“thing done” or “action”). It entered English in the late 16th century, originally referring to people skilled in managing practical affairs, before evolving into its modern meaning of valuing usefulness and outcomes over theory.