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Definition of prostratenext
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as in prone
lying with the face downwards the suspects lay prostrate on the floor while the police searched the room

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

prostrate

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verb

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective prostrate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of prostrate are prone, recumbent, and supine. While all these words mean "lying down," prostrate implies lying full-length as in submission, defeat, or physical collapse.

a runner fell prostrate at the finish line

When would prone be a good substitute for prostrate?

While in some cases nearly identical to prostrate, prone implies a position with the front of the body turned toward the supporting surface.

push-ups require a prone position

Where would recumbent be a reasonable alternative to prostrate?

The words recumbent and prostrate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, recumbent implies the posture of one sleeping or resting.

a patient comfortably recumbent in a hospital bed

When could supine be used to replace prostrate?

While the synonyms supine and prostrate are close in meaning, supine implies lying on one's back and suggests inertness or abjectness.

lying supine on the couch

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 prostrate
Adjective
An excellent prostrate variety well suited to rockeries and pathways. Dennis Peck, oregonlive, 14 Aug. 2022 Johnson then stood over the prostrate Davis and fired two more times into his head, prosecutors said. Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2022
Verb
Groypers believe that for decades America has prostrated itself to immigrants and foreign nations at the expense of its own languishing citizens. Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026 His prostrating himself in front of Vladimir Putin is now oily and explainable. Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 11 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prostrate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prostrate
Adjective
  • But Eustaquio moved — likely exhausted — in union with his team towards South Africa’s box.
    Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 29 June 2026
  • Back-to-back overnights left Greenwald exhausted and depressed.
    Melanie Thernstrom, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
Adjective
  • Following a year of historically weak hiring in 2025, hiring rebounded this spring.
    Rachel Barber, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • In a weak free-agency class, centers Robert Williams III (Portland) and Mark Williams (Phoenix) are already off the market, each reportedly agreeing to return to their current teams.
    Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Adjective
  • People who are pregnant, prone to blood clots or have implanted medical devices should skip vibration plates entirely.
    Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026
  • Both potatoes and cucumbers are prone to blight, which can ruin them if planted close together, says Bolles.
    Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • Vcg | Visual China Group | Getty Images BEIJING — China’s consumer spending slowdown persisted in June, with growth during one of the country’s largest online shopping festivals weakening sharply from a year earlier.
    Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 23 June 2026
  • All three of those protagonists have been weakened in their roles by what has gone on.
    Nasser Hussain, New York Times, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • While receiving treatment at a British base, Derek learned that he was paralyzed from the chest down.
    Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026
  • With endless criteria, knowing exactly what to ask for from a pair of jean shorts is paralyzing.
    Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • The city is recommending zoning regulations that fall in line with state statute while trying to calm residents who are worried data centers will overwhelm resources like water and energy and impose on their quality of life.
    Alysa Guffey, IndyStar, 2 July 2026
  • But the ownership group is overwhelmed by left-wing politics.
    Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • After the storm, Lake Geneva Mayor Todd Krause declared an emergency and said one person suffered minor injuries after being struck by a falling tree while downed power lines and trees blocked some streets.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
  • Chestnut is now an 18-time Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest champion after blowing out the competition once again, this time by downing 66 hot dogs and buns in Coney Island.
    Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026
Adjective
  • Depredation occurs when a shark steals an angler’s catch off their line, and Florida’s fishers are tired of it.
    Kairi Lowery, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026
  • Pugh is tired of seeing her mom suffer by no fault of her own.
    Bryant Reed, CBS News, 2 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Prostrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prostrate. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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