enervating
Leaving one depleted
Enervating means draining of energy or vitality.
The word is counterintuitive—it sounds like it should mean energizing, but means the opposite.
An enervating climate saps your strength; an enervating conversation leaves you depleted: The humidity was enervating.
The verb enervate and noun enervation share this sense of weakening or exhaustion.
Weariness from prolonged exertion
- wearinessState of being drained
- tirednessState of needing rest
- exhaustionState of utter depletion
- burnoutChronic occupational depletion
lethargy · listlessness · languor · lassitude · prostration · drowsiness · sluggishness · somnolence
Impaired strength or vitality
- enfeeblementState of growing weak
- feeblenessLack of strength
- frailtyWeakness of body
- infirmityWeakness from illness or age
atrophy · deterioration · decline · diminishment · wilting · flagging · languishing · waning
Oppressively hot and close
- suffocatingDepriving of air
- humidContaining much moisture
- sultryHot, humid, or alluring
- swelteringExtremely hot, uncomfortably so
muggy · airless · stuffy · close · heavy · oppressive · smothering · tropical
Unchangingly dull
- dullLacking edge or interest
- boringFailing to engage interest
- drearyDull and depressing
- wearisomeCausing fatigue through monotony
tiresome · mind-numbing · soul-crushing · repetitive · interminable · plodding · laborious · uninspiring
Causing loss of enthusiasm
- demoralizingDestroying confidence or hope
- dishearteningCausing loss of hope
- deflatingReleasing contained gas
- discouragingCausing loss of confidence
depressing · uninspiring · spirit-crushing · defeating · hopeless · bleak · joyless · ennui
fatigue
Weariness from prolonged exertion
- wearinessState of being drained
- tirednessState of needing rest
- exhaustionState of utter depletion
burnout · lethargy · listlessness · languor · lassitude · prostration · drowsiness · sluggishness · somnolence · torpor
debility
Impaired strength or vitality
- enfeeblementState of growing weak
- feeblenessLack of strength
- frailtyWeakness of body
infirmity · atrophy · deterioration · decline · diminishment · wilting · flagging · languishing · waning · sapping
stifling
Oppressively hot and close
- suffocatingDepriving of air
- humidContaining much moisture
- sultryHot, humid, or alluring
sweltering · muggy · airless · stuffy · close · heavy · oppressive · smothering · tropical · unbearable
monotonous
Unchangingly dull
wearisome · tiresome · mind-numbing · soul-crushing · repetitive · interminable · plodding · laborious · uninspiring · dispiriting
dispiriting
Causing loss of enthusiasm
- demoralizingDestroying confidence or hope
- dishearteningCausing loss of hope
- deflatingReleasing contained gas
discouraging · depressing · uninspiring · spirit-crushing · defeating · hopeless · bleak · joyless · ennui · apathy
- exhaustingdraining, taxing, tiring, exhausting, fatiguing
- decliningdeclining, waning, fading, diminishing, decreasing
enervatinginvigorating
Imparting fresh energy
energizing · revitalizing · stimulating · vitalizing · reviving