as in paralyzing
to deprive of courage or confidence
being eliminated early in one's very first tennis tournament can be an emasculating experience
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Recent Examples of emasculating
In the political sphere—an arena that’s increasingly entangled with social media—figures such as Elon Musk decry empathy as an emasculating plague.
—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
And yet precisely this dynamic ensures that commitment between men, the kind of domesticity that David and Giovanni attempt to establish in Giovanni’s room, can only ever be emasculating.
—
Garth Greenwell,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
And yet precisely this dynamic ensures that commitment between men, the kind of domesticity that David and Giovanni attempt to establish in Giovanni’s room, can only ever be emasculating.
—
Garth Greenwell,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for emasculating
Verb
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With endless criteria, knowing exactly what to ask for from a pair of jean shorts is paralyzing.
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His grief was crushing, paralyzing, calamitous.
Verb
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The masks are often vibrant and colorful but sometimes intimidating, depicting superheroes, animals or other symbolic figures.
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Superior Court Judge Alex Manning issued the order June 15 prohibiting the county’s top administrator from getting close to Amit Mehrotra, a neighbor in the Ellard subdivision in Roswell, and from harassing or intimidating Mehrotra or his family.
Verb
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Powell tried to open the stall door, and then began fondling himself, frightening the 11-year-old, who tried to leave, but Powell blocked him from getting out.
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This war has been a disaster for them, frightening away foreign investors, tourists and talent and burdening them with a future of huge new defense bills to deter Iran after the United States is gone.
Verb
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Grand Canyon The Grand Canyon is breathtaking and also terrifying with a 4-year-old along.
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Facing the endless Cylon onslaught in the void of space is terrifying even in 2D battles, but many of Scattered Hopes' gut punches happen during unexpected narrative events or tough choices that doom entire ship populations.
Verb
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Suddenly the seller is tiptoeing, managing the buyer's mood, terrified of saying the wrong thing and scaring them off.
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Two earthquakes jolted Venezuela with one-two punch on Wednesday, damaging buildings and scaring people who felt the violent shaking.
Cite this Entry
“Emasculating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/emasculating. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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