WordGarden.ioemasculate
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /ɪmˈæskjʊlˌeɪt/
US
- /əˈmæskjuˌleɪt/
Meanings
Verb
to make something weaker or less effective
to make a man feel less masculine or less powerful
to castrate a male person or animal
More meaningsFewer meanings
to remove the male reproductive parts of a flower
Beyond the definition
To emasculate someone is not always about physical castration, though that is the word's original meaning. More often, it means to take away a man's sense of strength, pride, or power. You might picture a man who is constantly mocked, ignored, or controlled until he feels small and powerless. The word can also be used more broadly for something that weakens a person, a group, or even a plan, but it usually still carries the idea of taking away strength or authority. For example, someone might say that a controlling partner emasculates a man by treating him like his choices do not matter.
The word "emasculate" carries a heavy weight. Its literal meaning is to castrate, or to remove the testes of a male person or animal. In that original sense, it is a physical act that takes away reproductive ability and, in many cultural traditions, is linked to ideas of manhood, strength, and control. Over time, though, the word also developed a strong figurative meaning.
Today, we often use "emasculate" to describe an action or situation that makes a man feel that his masculinity, authority, or confidence has been taken away. It often suggests more than simple weakness. It suggests being reduced, humiliated, or made to feel less like a man. For example, a character in a story may feel emasculated when he is publicly mocked, constantly overruled, or treated as if he has no power in his own life.
The word is also sometimes used more broadly to mean "weaken" or "make ineffective," especially when talking about laws, policies, arguments, or institutions. In those cases, the meaning is less personal but still carries the sense of taking away force or power. Even so, the word usually keeps some connection to traditional ideas about masculinity, so it can sound strong, loaded, or critical. In modern English, it is most often used figuratively rather than literally, and it usually describes a social or emotional loss of power rather than a physical act.
Examples
- 1
Personal insecurity
He said losing his job made him feel emasculated.
- 2
Gender stereotype
The ad was criticized for suggesting that doing housework would emasculate men.
- 3
Marriage stereotype
She refused to accept the old idea that a successful wife must emasculate her husband.
- 4
Weakened law
Critics said the final version of the bill had been emasculated by compromise.
- Domainin law or policy, emasculate
weaken a plan or law so much that it loses much of its force
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Do not confuse
Used with (collocations)
- emasculate a law
- emasculate an institution
- emasculate someone politically
Word family
- emasculation
- emasculated
Explore
- powerlessness
- loss of authority
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- emasculateverbadjective
Forms
- emasculatedpast tenseverbadjective
- emasculating-ing formverbadjective
- emasculatesverbadjective