PROSTRATE Synonyms: 283 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

prostrate 1 of 2

adjective

ˈprä-ˌstrāt

Definition of prostrate

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

as in weak

lacking bodily strength prostrate with fear as the bombs began dropping

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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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prostrate

2 of 2

verb

ˈprä-ˌstrāt

as in to weaken

to diminish the physical strength of an athlete prostrated for weeks by a bout of pneumonia

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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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as in to overwhelm

to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress a widow prostrated by crushing grief

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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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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

Controversial finish of the weekend, though, came at Anfield, where Crystal Palace’s Daniel Munoz chose to ruthlessly lob Liverpool’s Freddie Woodman, despite the goalkeeper lying injured and prostrate on the ground. — Phil Hay, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for prostrate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for prostrate

Adjective

If a year in, the founder is still in every meeting and the new hire is the most exhausted person in the building, the company did not hire an operator.

— Ken Paskins, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
That loaded the bases, and Christian Yelich then greeted an exhausted Yamamoto with a two-run single.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of exhausted

Adjective

The makeup is top-tier, the Aaliyah swoop bang is swooping, and the jewelry accents stand out without doing too much, which is usually her weak spot.

— Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026
Brennan's maiden win came at the 2025 Bank of Utah Championship in November against an admittedly weaker field.

— Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of weak

Adjective

The intersection of Route 229 and Pine Street/Mountain Road has been flagged as the city’s single most crash-prone crossing.

— Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026
He’s steeped in these platforms, professionally invested, and not prone to conspiratorial concerns about insider trading or game fixing.

— Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of prone

Verb

But while those will provide short-term relief, the currency is expected to weaken toward the end of the year and mid-2027, and a 100 rupee-per-dollar mark could not be ruled out, strategists said.

— Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
However, following his arrest, the owner, Mohammad Khan, blamed this week's rains for weakening one of the roofs, according to police, who said the investigation was still underway.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of weaken

Verb

Bettany is by turns hilariously perplexed, in the universal manner of parents engaging with teens everywhere, and achingly tender, in the more unusual way of a robot letting himself be overwhelmed by feeling for the first time.

— Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026
Clashes last week between armed groups from rival communities in the central part of South Sudan left scores of people dead and overwhelmed a hospital with wounded people, officials said.

— ABC News, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of overwhelm

Verb

Parts of southern Alabama also were flooded, with officials in Mobile reporting downed trees and power lines.

— AJC.com, AJC.com, 10 Oct. 2026
Weatherford downs Arlington Lamar Weatherford picked up a crucial 35-28 win over Arlington Lamar on Friday, moving into the District 3-6A playoff hunt.

— Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of down

Adjective

Getting camera-ready Crawford never tired of redecorating her house throughout her 26 years there and had a long collaborative relationship with decorator William Haines.

— Megan Johnson, Architectural Digest, 14 Oct. 2026
As such, the group designed this high-tech salve to revive tired skin on a cellular level, but also with a little mood boost.

— Jenny Berg, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of tired

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“Prostrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prostrate. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of prostrate

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verb

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Synonyms of prostrate

adjective

verb

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Prone vs. Supine vs. Prostrate

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