1
as in exhausted
depleted in strength, energy, or freshness
prostrate marathoners typically spend the day after the race recovering
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in weak
lacking bodily strength
prostrate with fear as the bombs began dropping
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to weaken
to diminish the physical strength of
an athlete prostrated for weeks by a bout of pneumonia
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2
as in to paralyze
to render powerless, ineffective, or unable to move
the huge increase in gas prices really prostrated the nation's economic engine
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to overwhelm
to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress
a widow prostrated by crushing grief
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4
as in to down
to strike (someone) so forcefully as to cause a fall
the boxer bragged that he could prostrate any opponent with a single blow
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prostrate
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
Timothy Gabrielli, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2025
First each member, in turn, would prostrate himself while the others, marching in a circle, stepped over him and struck him with their scourges.
—Michael Robbins, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for 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
Typically, penitents would remain outside church gatherings, demonstrating their repentance by prostrating themselves, and then publicly confess.
—Timothy Gabrielli, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2025
First each member, in turn, would prostrate himself while the others, marching in a circle, stepped over him and struck him with their scourges.
—Michael Robbins, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prostrate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prostrate
Adjective
-
Feeling a little funky, exhausted or sore can happen for a number of reasons, including perimenopause and menopause.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Tranquility notwithstanding, Suriel was exhausted.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Viel made a weak pass that led to the goal but had a strong hit on McDavid in the opening 20 minutes as well.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
-
With the uncertainty caused by the war with Iran, the price of oil going through the roof, and tariffs complicating company supply chains, analysts expected the labor market to get weaker.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
About 5 million of the state’s 6 million residents live along the Front Range, which also happens to be the state’s most disaster-prone zone.—
Aldo Svaldi,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Mature cherry trees not only yield delicious fruit but also provide shade for sun-sensitive plants and other areas prone to scorching.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The deeper the rifts between the United States and Europe over Iran, the greater the chances of weakening the NATO alliance.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
-
During his appearances on Capitol Hill this month, Secretary Kennendy was grilled about the administration's defense of the pesticide industry and weakening of protections against mercury pollution, another issue that Kennedy had worked on as an advocate.—
Will Stone,
NPR,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Though brief, Yoon’s martial law decree threw the country into a severe political crisis, paralyzing politics and high-level diplomacy and rattling financial markets.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Though she is paralyzed from the neck down, Lucy still has some mobility in her arms, the Post reported.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
An abundance of candidates can overwhelm users and reduce the odds that an interaction turns into something meaningful.—
Charlotte Morabito,
CNBC,
25 Apr. 2026
-
LeClair explains that power surges damage appliances and electronic devices by overwhelming their internal electrical components with more voltage than they are designed to handle.—
Timothy Dale,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Photos from the Messenger show downed trees blocking a road and damage to a mobile home in Bridgeport.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Apr. 2026
-
As the sun sets, the fruit bats swoop among the trees as couples and young families lounge on large poolside cabanas, downing languid cocktails and listening to live guitar strums before heading for a casual dinner.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
For homeowners tired of robotic mowers that demand nearly as much effort as traditional ones, the K1 is a genuine upgrade.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Susan Collins is an anemic and tired candidate.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prostrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prostrate. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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