Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense prostrates, present participle prostrating, past tense, past participle prostratedpronunciation note: The verb is pronounced (prɒstreɪt, US prɑːstreɪt). The adjective is pronounced (prɒstreɪt).
1. verb
If you prostrateyourself, you lie down flat on the ground, on your front, usually to show respect for God or a person in authority.
They prostrated themselves before their king. [VERB pronoun-reflexive]
2. adjective [ADJECTIVE after verb]
If you are lying prostrate, you are lying flat on the ground, on your front.
Percy was lying prostrate, his arms outstretched and his eyes closed.
Synonyms: prone, fallen, flat, horizontal More Synonyms of prostrate
3. adjective
If someone is prostrate, they are so distressed or affected by a very bad experience that they are unable to do anything at all.
[formal]
Immediately after my father's death my stepmother was prostrate.
I was prostrate with grief.
...his country's prostrate economy.
Synonyms: exhausted, overcome, depressed, drained More Synonyms of prostrate
More Synonyms of prostrate
prostrate in British English
adjective (ˈprɒstreɪt)
1.
lying with the face downwards, as in submission
2.
exhausted physically or emotionally
3.
helpless or defenceless
4.
(of a plant) growing closely along the ground
verb (prɒˈstreɪt)(transitive)
5.
to bow or cast (oneself) down, as in submission
6.
to lay or throw down flat, as on the ground
7.
to make helpless or defenceless
8.
to make exhausted
Derived forms
prostration (prosˈtration)
noun
Word origin
C14: from Latin prōsternere to throw to the ground, from prō- before + sternere to lay low
prostrate in American English
(ˈprɑsˌtreɪt)
adjective
1.
lying with the face downward in demonstration of great humility or abject submission
2.
lying flat, prone, or supine
3.
thrown or fallen to the ground
4.
a.
laid low; completely overcome; helpless
prostrate with grief
b.
in a state of physical exhaustion or weakness
5. Botany
growing on the ground; trailing
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈprosˌtrated or ˈprosˌtrating
6.
to throw or put in a prostrate position; lay flat on the ground
7.
to lay low; overcome; exhaust or subjugate
SIMILAR WORDS: prone
Word origin
ME prostrat < L prostratus, pp. of prosternere, to lay flat < pro-, before + sternere, to stretch out < IE base *ster- > strew
Examples of 'prostrate' in a sentence
prostrate
You may be able to be rescued for one day, but the next day another will come and you will again willingly prostrate yourself before him.
Terry Goodkind NAKED EMPIRE (2002)
1 (adjective)
Definition
lying face downwards
Percy was lying prostrate with his arms outstretched.
Synonyms
prone
Bob slid from his chair and lay prone on the floor.
fallen
flat
Two men near him threw themselves flat.
horizontal
Swing the club back until it is horizontal.
abject
bowed low
kowtowing
procumbent
2 (adjective)
Definition
physically or emotionally exhausted
After my mother's death, I was prostrate with grief.
Synonyms
exhausted
She was too exhausted even to think clearly.
overcome
depressed
drained
spent
After all that exertion, we were completely spent.
worn out
I was exhausted – worn out by the strain I'd been under.
desolate
I was desolate without her.
dejected
inconsolable
at a low ebb
fagged out (informal)
3 (adjective)
Gaston was prostrate on his sickbed.
Synonyms
helpless
We felt helpless in the face of the disaster.
overwhelmed
disarmed
paralysed
powerless
reduced
impotent
Bullies can leave people feeling hurt, angry and impotent.
defenceless
a leader who would leave the country isolated and defenceless
brought to your knees
1 (verb)
Definition
to exhaust physically or emotionally
patients who have been prostrated by fatigue
Synonyms
exhaust
The effort of speaking had exhausted him.
tire
If driving tires you, take the train.
drain
My emotional turmoil has drained me.
fatigue
It fatigues me to list them all.
weary
The work wearied him to the point of exhaustion.
sap
I was afraid the sickness had sapped my strength.
wear out
fag out (informal)
2 (verb)
Definition
to exhaust physically or emotionally
The prostrated army shuffled and reordered.
Synonyms
lay low
reduce
overcome
the satisfaction of overcoming a rival
ruin
Roads have been destroyed and crops ruined.
depress
crush
The military operation was the first step in a plan to crush the uprising.
overwhelm
One massive assault would overwhelm the weakened enemy.
overturn
He accused his opponents of wanting to overturn the government.
overthrow
The government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.
disarm
paralyse
bring low
phrasal verb
See prostrate yourself
Additional synonyms
in the sense of crush
Definition
to control or subdue by force
The military operation was the first step in a plan to crush the uprising.
Synonyms
overcome,
overwhelm,
put down,
subdue,
overpower,
quash,
quell,
extinguish,
stamp out,
vanquish (literary),
conquer
in the sense of defenceless
a leader who would leave the country isolated and defenceless
Synonyms
helpless,
exposed,
vulnerable,
naked,
endangered,
powerless,
wide open,
unarmed,
unprotected,
unguarded
in the sense of desolate
Definition
gloomy or dismal
I was desolate without her.
Synonyms
miserable,
depressed,
lonely,
lonesome (US, Canadian),
gloomy,
dismal,
melancholy,
forlorn,
bereft,
dejected,
despondent,
downcast,
wretched,
disconsolate,
down in the dumps (informal),
cheerless,
comfortless,
companionless
Nearby words of
prostrate
prosperous
prostitute
prostitution
prostrate
prostrate yourself
prostration
prosy
Related terms of
prostrate
prostrate yourself
Synonyms of 'prostrate'
prostrate
Explore 'prostrate' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of drain
Definition
to make constant demands on (energy or resources)
My emotional turmoil has drained me.
Synonyms
exhaust,
tire,
wear out,
strain,
weaken,
fatigue,
weary,
debilitate,
prostrate,
tax,
tire out,
enfeeble,
enervate
in the sense of fallen
Synonyms
collapsed,
flat,
on the ground,
decayed,
sunken,
ruinous
in the sense of fatigue
Definition
to make or become weary or exhausted
It fatigues me to list them all.
Synonyms
tire,
exhaust,
weaken,
weary,
drain,
fag (out) (informal),
whack (British, informal),
wear out,
jade,
take it out of (informal),
poop (informal),
tire out,
knacker (slang),
drain of energy,
overtire
in the sense of flat
Definition
lying stretched out at full length
Two men near him threw themselves flat.
Synonyms
horizontal,
prone,
outstretched,
reclining,
prostrate,
laid low,
supine,
recumbent,
lying full length
in the sense of horizontal
Definition
flat and level with the ground or with a line considered as a base
Swing the club back until it is horizontal.
Synonyms
level,
flat,
plane,
parallel,
supine
in the sense of impotent
Definition
not having the power to influence people or events
Bullies can leave people feeling hurt, angry and impotent.
Synonyms
powerless,
weak,
helpless,
unable,
incapable,
paralysed,
frail,
incompetent,
ineffective,
feeble,
incapacitated,
infirm,
nerveless,
enervated
in the sense of overcome
Definition
to defeat (someone) in a conflict
the satisfaction of overcoming a rival
Synonyms
defeat,
beat,
conquer,
master,
tank (slang),
crush,
overwhelm,
overthrow,
lick (informal),
undo,
subdue,
rout,
overpower,
quell,
triumph over,
best,
get the better of,
trounce,
worst,
clobber (slang),
stuff (slang),
vanquish,
surmount,
subjugate,
prevail over,
wipe the floor with (informal),
make mincemeat of (informal),
blow (someone) out of the water (slang),
come out on top of (informal),
bring (someone) to their knees (informal),
render incapable,
render powerless,
be victorious over,
render helpless
in the sense of overthrow
Definition
to defeat and replace (a ruler or government) by force
The government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.
Synonyms
defeat,
beat,
master,
overcome,
crush,
overwhelm,
conquer,
bring down,
oust,
lick (informal),
topple,
subdue,
rout,
overpower,
do away with,
depose,
trounce,
unseat,
vanquish (literary),
subjugate,
dethrone
in the sense of overturn
Definition
to overthrow or destroy (a government)
He accused his opponents of wanting to overturn the government.
Synonyms
overthrow,
defeat,
destroy,
overcome,
crush,
bring down,
oust,
topple,
do away with,
depose,
unseat,
dethrone
in the sense of overwhelm
Definition
to overcome (people) with irresistible force
One massive assault would overwhelm the weakened enemy.
Synonyms
destroy,
beat,
defeat,
overcome,
smash,
crush,
massacre,
conquer,
wipe out,
overthrow,
knock out,
lick (informal),
subdue,
rout,
eradicate,
overpower,
quell,
annihilate,
put paid to,
vanquish (literary),
subjugate,
immobilize,
make mincemeat of (informal),
cut to pieces
Additional synonyms
in the sense of ruin
Definition
to destroy or spoil completely
Roads have been destroyed and crops ruined.
Synonyms
destroy,
devastate,
wreck,
trash (slang),
break,
total (slang),
defeat,
smash,
crush,
overwhelm,
shatter,
overturn,
overthrow,
bring down,
demolish,
raze,
lay waste,
lay in ruins,
wreak havoc upon,
bring to ruin,
bring to nothing,
kennet (Australian, slang),
jeff (Australian, slang)
in the sense of sap
Definition
to weaken or exhaust the strength or confidence of
I was afraid the sickness had sapped my strength.
Synonyms
weaken,
drain,
undermine,
rob,
exhaust,
bleed (informal),
erode,
deplete,
wear down,
enervate,
devitalize
in the sense of spent
Definition
used up or exhausted
After all that exertion, we were completely spent.
Synonyms
exhausted,
drained,
worn out,
bushed (informal),
all in (slang),
shattered (informal),
weakened,
wiped out (informal),
wearied,
weary,
played out (informal),
burnt out,
fagged (out) (informal),
whacked (British, informal),
debilitated,
knackered (slang),
prostrate,
clapped out (British, Australian, New Zealand, informal),
tired out,
ready to drop (informal),
dog-tired (informal),
zonked (informal),
dead beat (informal),
shagged out (British, slang),
done in or up (informal)
in the sense of tire
Definition
to reduce the energy of, as by exertion
If driving tires you, take the train.
Synonyms
exhaust,
drain,
fatigue,
weary,
fag (informal),
whack (British, informal),
wear out,
wear down,
take it out of (informal),
knacker (slang),
enervate
in the sense of weary
Definition
to make weary
The work wearied him to the point of exhaustion.
Synonyms
tire,
tax,
burden,
drain,
fatigue,
fag (informal),
sap,
wear out,
debilitate,
take it out of (informal),
tire out,
enervate,
fade,
droop
in the sense of worn out
Definition
completely exhausted
I was exhausted – worn out by the strain I'd been under.