prostration

noun

prä-ˈstrā-shən How to pronounce prostration (audio)
Definition of prostrationnext
as in exhaustion
a complete depletion of energy or strength an outpatient suffering from fever, prostration, and nausea was rushed to the hospital by ambulance

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 prostration When the net finally rippled, Yamal dropped to the ground in sujood — an Islamic prostration of gratitude — in a moment that immediately went viral. — Olivia Shalhoup, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026 Travelers can also stay overnight to meditate, share meals, learn more about the temple’s Seon sect, and participate in the 108 prostrations. — Peggy Orenstein, AFAR Media, 6 Jan. 2025 Indeed, the Sabbath was usually one of Hatzolah’s busiest times, possibly due to the overeating that was among the highlights of the day—heart attacks, strokes, ulcer flare-ups, complete prostration due to the cholent and the kugel. — Tova Reich, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2024 The attendees offered heartfelt reverence to the Buddhas, engaged in prostrations, and prayed to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for blessings upon all sentient beings. — Jon Stojan, USA TODAY, 25 July 2023 One death and two cases of heat prostration were called possibly due to the temperature, which was said then to be the highest in the country. — Martin Weil, Washington Post, 3 June 2023 This is akin to members of Congress sporting fake kente-cloth shawls and taking a knee in a foul moment of fake reverence for ex-con George Floyd, in an act of politically correct prostration. — Armond White, National Review, 19 Aug. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prostration
  1. exhaustion
  2. fatigue
Noun
  • Abrams does yeoman’s work with a character stuck in a tight spot for most of the running time, constantly grunting and gasping with a mixture of anguish and exhaustion as his body gets progressively more beat up and broken.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Tina testified for an hour before fainting from exhaustion, returning later that day for a second round of questioning.
    — Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of exhaustion
Noun
  • Injuries and fatigue hollowed out a once-dominant roster, with Shohei Ohtani’s decision to keep pitching through pain leaving the team without its most potent hitter in October.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Chen advised supervisors facing decision fatigue to review shots within their sequences rather than obsess over individual frames.
    — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of fatigue

Browse Nearby Words

prostrating
prostration
prosy
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Prostration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prostration. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on prostration

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about prostration

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All