as in to sever
medical
to remove (part of a person's body)
His arm was badly injured and had to be amputated.
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Recent Examples of amputate
The 49ers Hall of Fame safety had his pinkie mangled on a tackle during a game in 1985, and played with a splint before having the digit amputated after the season.
—
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 13 Apr. 2026
Adair was previously advised to have his leg amputated.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 11 Apr. 2026
Their aspirations for independence from the Habsburgs were crushed in 1849, and their territory was amputated by the peace agreements that ended the First World War.
—Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
The Baltimore native was born with fibular hemimelia and had her legs amputated at 18 months old.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for amputate
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 13 Apr. 2026
Adair was previously advised to have his leg amputated.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 11 Apr. 2026
Their aspirations for independence from the Habsburgs were crushed in 1849, and their territory was amputated by the peace agreements that ended the First World War.
—Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
The Baltimore native was born with fibular hemimelia and had her legs amputated at 18 months old.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for amputate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for amputate
Verb
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Militaries have spent years building up their defenses against drone warfare, with one of the most effective methods being the use of electronic jamming to sever the radio connection between the operator and the drone.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
30 Apr. 2026
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While the agreements are unlikely to deliver immediate increases in production, they are designed to open pathways for investment and reestablish commercial ties severed during years of sanctions and political rupture.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Spurs coach Mitch Johnson could’ve yanked him for the veteran Harrison Barnes.—
Christian Clark,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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Lindor, who has been the subject of criticism for his play thus far, yanked a shot into the seats, scoring Marcus Semien and Carson Benge — one of the few positives from this night.—
James O'Connell,
New York Daily News,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Amputate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/amputate. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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