Prostrate — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /ˈprä-ˌstrāt/ pros·trate

Meaning & Definition of Prostrate

Prostrate (adjective)

  1. stretched out with face on the ground in adoration or submission; also, lying flat
  2. completely overcome and lacking vitality, will, or power to rise
  3. trailing on the ground, procumbent

Prostrate (verb)

  1. to throw or put into a prostrate position
  2. to put (oneself) in a humble and submissive posture or state
  3. to reduce to submission, helplessness, or exhaustion

Prostrate (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. depleted in strength, energy, or freshness

    "prostrate marathoners typically spend the day after the race recovering"

    similar: all in, aweary (archaic), beat, beaten, bleary, burned-out, bushed, dead, done, drained, exhausted, fatigued, jaded, knackered (British), limp, logy, played out, pooped (slang), spent, tapped out, tired, tuckered (out), washed-out, wearied, weary, wiped out, worn, worn-out, worn to a frazzle
    related: overfatigued, overtaxed, overworked, broken-down, run-down, debilitated, enervate, enervated, enfeebled, sapped, weakened, drowsy, heavy, sleepy, lethargic, sluggish
    opposite: unwearied
    near: fresh, refreshed, rejuvenated, relaxed, rested, revitalized, active, energetic, invigorated, peppy, strengthened, strong, tireless, vitalized, weariless

  2. lacking bodily strength

    "prostrate with fear as the bombs began dropping"

    similar: asthenic, debilitated, delicate, down-and-out, effete, enervated, enfeebled, faint, feeble, frail, infirm, languid, low, prostrated, sapped, slight, soft, softened, tender, unsubstantial, wasted, weak, weakened, wimpish, wimpy
    related: disabled, incapacitated, invalid, paralyzed, broken-down, decrepit, impotent, powerless, breakable, flimsy, fragile, dizzy, groggy, rocky, unsteady, woozy, drained, exhausted, flagging, tired, weary, worn-out, damaged, harmed, hurt, impaired, injured, unsound, resistless, susceptible, unresistant, vulnerable, yielding
    opposite: mighty, powerful, rugged, stalwart, stout, strong
    near: able-bodied, athletic, beefy, brawny, fit, husky, muscular, sinewy, strapping, virile, hard, hardy, lusty, red-blooded, robust, sturdy, tough, fortified, hardened, inured, strengthened, toughened, energetic, energized, invigorated, vigorous, vitalized, hale, healthy, sound, capable, competent, convalescing, recovering, recuperating

  3. lying with the face downwards

    "the suspects lay prostrate on the floor while the police searched the room"

    similar: prone
    related: flat, recumbent, reclining, reposing, horizontal
    opposite: supine
    near: erect, raised, standing, upright, upstanding, vertical

Prostrate (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to diminish the physical strength of

    "an athlete prostrated for weeks by a bout of pneumonia"

    similar: debilitate, devitalize, enervate, enfeeble, etiolate, sap, soften, tire, waste, weaken
    related: cripple, disable, hamstring, incapacitate, deplete, depress, exhaust, impoverish, unman, wash out, damage, harm, hurt, impair, injure, invalid, lay up, break down, grind (down), wear down, wear out, paralyze
    opposite: beef (up), fortify, strengthen
    near: energize, invigorate, recruit, rejuvenate, vitalize, harden, season, toughen

  2. to render powerless, ineffective, or unable to move

    "the huge increase in gas prices really prostrated the nation's economic engine"

    similar: cripple, disable, hamstring, immobilize, incapacitate, paralyze
    related: attenuate, debilitate, enervate, enfeeble, sap, tire, undercut, undermine, weaken, hobble, lame, maim, mutilate, knock out
    near: energize, galvanize, invigorate, vitalize, fortify, strengthen, empower, freshen, refresh, refreshen, regenerate, rejuvenate, restore, revitalize, revive

  3. to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress

    "a widow prostrated by crushing grief"

    similar: crush, devastate, floor, grind (down), oppress, overcome, overmaster, overpower, overwhelm, snow under, swamp, whelm
    related: deluge, drown, sink, confute, defeat, refute, break, demoralize, distress, disturb, rock, shatter, stagger, throw, unman, unnerve, upset

  4. to strike (someone) so forcefully as to cause a fall

    "the boxer bragged that he could prostrate any opponent with a single blow"

    similar: bowl (down or over), down, drop, fell, floor, knock down, knock over, level, mow (down)
    related: kayo, knock out, KO, overthrow, throw down, topple, bang, bash, belt, bludgeon, clobber, hammer, hit, jab, paste, poke, pound, punch, slam, slap, slog, slug, smack, smite, sock, swat, swipe, thump, thwack, wallop, whack, whale

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Prostrate

The most common words with a similar meaning to Prostrate:

Archaic: aweary
British: knackered
Slang: pooped
all in, beat, beaten, bleary, burned-out, bushed, dead, done, drained, exhausted, fatigued, jaded, limp, logy, played out, spent, tapped out, tired, tuckered (out), washed-out, wearied, weary, wiped out, worn, worn-out, asthenic, debilitated, delicate, down-and-out, effete, enervated, enfeebled, faint, feeble, frail, infirm, languid, low, prostrated, sapped

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Prostrate

Words with the opposite meaning of Prostrate:

unwearied, mighty, powerful, rugged, stalwart, stout, strong, supine, beef (up), fortify, strengthen

Related Words for Prostrate

overfatigued, overtaxed, overworked, broken-down, run-down, drowsy, heavy, sleepy, lethargic, sluggish, disabled, incapacitated, invalid, paralyzed, decrepit, impotent, powerless, breakable, flimsy, fragile, dizzy, groggy, rocky, unsteady, woozy, flagging, damaged, harmed, hurt, impaired

Near Antonyms of Prostrate

fresh, refreshed, rejuvenated, relaxed, rested, revitalized, active, energetic, invigorated, peppy, strengthened, tireless, vitalized, weariless, able-bodied, athletic, beefy, brawny, fit, husky, muscular, sinewy, strapping, virile, hard, hardy, lusty, red-blooded, robust, sturdy

Word Forms of Prostrate

Inflections: prostrated, prostrating

Origin & Etymology of Prostrate

Middle English prostrat, from Anglo-French, from Latin prostratus, past participle of prosternere, from pro- before + sternere to spread out, throw down strew

First known use: 14th century

Words & Phrases Containing Prostrate

prostrate oneself

Frequently Asked Questions about Prostrate

What does "Prostrate" mean?

"Prostrate" means stretched out with face on the ground in adoration or submission; also, lying flat. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: stretched out with face on the ground in adoration or submission; also, lying flat. It has 7 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Prostrate"?

Other words for "Prostrate" include all in, aweary, beat, beaten, bleary, burned-out, bushed and dead. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Prostrate" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Prostrate"?

There are 202 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Prostrate". Common alternatives include all in, aweary, beat, beaten, bleary, burned-out, bushed, dead, done and drained.

What is the opposite of "Prostrate"?

Antonyms of "Prostrate" include unwearied, mighty, powerful, rugged, stalwart, stout, strong and supine. Near antonyms include fresh, refreshed, rejuvenated and relaxed.

How do you use "Prostrate" in a sentence?

Examples of "Prostrate" in a sentence: "prostrate marathoners typically spend the day after the race recovering"; "prostrate with fear as the bombs began dropping"; "the suspects lay prostrate on the floor while the police searched the room".

Is "Prostrate" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Prostrate" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Prostrate"?

"Prostrate" is pronounced /ˈprä-ˌstrāt/ and divided into syllables as pros·trate.

What is the origin of the word "Prostrate"?

"Prostrate" comes from Middle English prostrat, from Anglo-French, from Latin prostratus, past participle of prosternere, from pro- before + sternere to spread out, throw down strew. First known use: 14th century.