unmanning
Stripping of resolve
Unmanning is depriving someone of qualities traditionally associated with manhood—courage, composure, or emotional control.
The word appears in literary or dramatic contexts where a man is overwhelmed by fear, grief, or tenderness: The sight of his dying father unmanned him completely.
The term reflects older notions that showing strong emotion compromises masculine dignity.
Removal of masculine power
- castrationExcision of reproductive glands
- emasculatedDeprived of vigor
- impotenceLack of strength or power
- disempoweringRemoving capacity to act
neutering · gelding · humiliating · degrading · belittling · diminishing · shaming · demoralizing
Causing severe impairment
- enfeeblingCausing loss of strength
- sappingGradually draining vitality
- drainingDepleting one's reserves
- enervatingCausing loss of vigor
undermining · depleting · devitalizing · eroding · crippling · incapacitating · paralyzing · demoralizing
Causing loss of composure
- disconcertingCausing unease or confusion
- discomposingDisrupting mental equilibrium
- disturbingCausing mental unease
- destabilizingCausing loss of equilibrium
rattling · shaking · disquieting · demoralizing · intimidating · alarming · distressing · perturbing
Minimum workers needed
- abandoningLeaving permanently behind
- evacuatingLeaving a dangerous area
- desertingAbandoning one's obligations
- decommissioningWithdrawing from active service
stripping · reducing · withdrawing · crewless · automated · drone · autonomous · remote-controlled
emasculation
Removal of masculine power
- castrationExcision of reproductive glands
- emasculatedDeprived of vigor
- impotenceLack of strength or power
disempowering · neutering · gelding · humiliating · degrading · belittling · diminishing · shaming · demoralizing · stripping
debilitating
Causing severe impairment
- enfeeblingCausing loss of strength
- sappingGradually draining vitality
- drainingDepleting one's reserves
enervating · undermining · depleting · devitalizing · eroding · crippling · incapacitating · paralyzing · demoralizing · dispiriting
unnerving
Causing loss of composure
- disconcertingCausing unease or confusion
- discomposingDisrupting mental equilibrium
- disturbingCausing mental unease
destabilizing · rattling · shaking · disquieting · demoralizing · intimidating · alarming · distressing · perturbing · agitating
skeleton crew
Minimum workers needed
- abandoningLeaving permanently behind
- evacuatingLeaving a dangerous area
- desertingAbandoning one's obligations
decommissioning · stripping · reducing · withdrawing · crewless · automated · drone · autonomous · remote-controlled
unmanningemboldening
Making more courageous
heartening · steeling · fortifying · encouraging · nerving
man, manly, mankind, manhood, manliness, unmanly, unmanned, manful, unman