prostrate 1 of 2

adjective

ˈprä-ˌstrāt How to pronounce prostrate (audio)
Definition of prostratenext
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
3
as in prone
lying with the face downwards the suspects lay prostrate on the floor while the police searched the room

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

prostrate

2 of 2

verb

ˈprä-ˌstrāt How to pronounce prostrate (audio)
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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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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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
To his right, where the prostrate body of a dying woman was jostled in the bloody fray. — Dan Barry, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2025 Parsons, having disentangled himself from a Bears tackle, retracing his steps and leaping over a prostrate Montgomery to recover the fumble. — Dallas News, 30 Oct. 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
  1. exhausted
  2. weak
  3. prone
  4. weaken
  5. paralyze
  6. overwhelm
  7. down
  8. tired
Adjective
  • The offense was unproductive, the bullpen exhausted and starters gassed after several extra-inning games and three sticky games against the Cardinals.
    — Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Such weapons are proving increasingly difficult for Kyiv to shoot down, with supplies of US Patriot interceptors – one of the few systems capable of taking down ballistic missiles pretty much exhausted.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of exhausted
Adjective
  • The heat has caused a fall in nuclear generation, with power plants forced to shut down or reduce production across the region, while wind power generation has been weak over the summer.
    — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The state financial watchdog attributed the disbursement problems to administrative delays, weak project management, and late counterpart funding from the Congolese government.
    — Ruben Nyanguila, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of weak
Adjective
  • Some more recent studies have concluded that playtime does not promote aggressive behavior in dogs that were not already prone to such behavior.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Anything that protrudes above the shallow, insulating snow cover is more prone to being damaged by the cold and wind or eaten by wildlife, said plant ecologist Anne Bjorkman of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of prone
Verb
  • Even if Korea can maintain 2% economic growth over the next two decades, consumption growth gradually weakens and eventually turns negative, according to Goldman’s long-term modeling.
    — Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Riggs said the Teamsters’ safety argument is weakened by the inconsistent safety record of human truck drivers, who have fallen asleep at the wheel or driven while distracted or otherwise impaired.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of weaken
Verb
  • Clancy jumped out of a window after strangling the children to death and was paralyzed in the fall.
    — Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Clancy is now partially paralyzed due to her suicide attempt and is being held at Tewksbury hospital.
    — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of paralyze
Verb
  • Ukraine has been firing hundreds of drones at Russia almost nightly, hoping to overwhelm air defenses.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • My mother was never one for parting phrases, mainly because she was overwhelmed by a form of timidity that verged on self-erasure.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of overwhelm
Verb
  • Lake Howell forced a Seminole punt, which was downed inside the two yard linej.
    — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026
  • There's a lot of seaweed and some downed trees thanks to Hurricane Maria, but the terrain is pretty navigable.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of down
Adjective
  • Pinterest says Gen Z and Millennials are putting their own spins on trends rather than copying them, a sign that visible under-eyes and lived-in finishes could outlast the tired girl label itself.
    — Ashley Lynch, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The Republican president looks increasingly tired and running out of steam, has not introduced any major new initiatives and could see the political writing on the wall.
    — Joe Battenfeld, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of tired

Browse Nearby Words

prostitutions
prostrate
prostrated
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Cite this Entry

“Prostrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prostrate. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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