Standard Lemma guide

stultify

verb · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈstʌltɪfaɪ/
  • /ˈstʌltəfaɪ/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: S T AH1 L T AH0 F AY2 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To stunt, inhibit (progress, ideas, etc.) or make dull and uninteresting, especially through routine that is overly restrictive or limiting.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • Bureaucracy and over-regulation have stultified the economy.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: inhibit, impair, dull

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To make useless or worthless.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated, transitive

Examples

  • His business plan was stultified by new technologies.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To cause to appear foolish; to deprive of strength; to stupefy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated, transitive

Examples

  • The politicians continued to stultify themselves.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: humiliate

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To prove to be of unsound mind or demonstrate someone's incompetence.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

deprive of strength or efficiency; make useless or worthless

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • This measure crippled our efforts
  • Their behavior stultified the boss's hard work

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: cripple

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: weaken

6

verb

Meaning 6

cause to appear foolish

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He stultified himself by contradicting himself and being inconsistent

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: ridicule, roast, guy, blackguard, laugh at, jest at, rib, make fun, poke fun

7

verb

Meaning 7

prove to be of unsound mind or demonstrate someone's incompetence

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • nobody is legally allowed to stultify himself

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: prove, demonstrate, establish, show, shew

History

Etymology

From Latin stultus (“stupid, foolish”), + -ify. Compare Late Latin stultificō.

Across languages

Translations

18 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: окарикатурявам (okarikaturjavam) — to cause to appear foolish
  • Dutch: blameren — to cause to appear foolish
  • Dutch: belachelijk maken — to cause to appear foolish
  • German: blamieren — to cause to appear foolish
  • German: veralbern — to cause to appear foolish
  • German: lächerlich machen — to cause to appear foolish
  • Italian: ridicolizzare — to cause to appear foolish
  • Italian: sbeffeggiare — to cause to appear foolish
  • Italian: schernire — to cause to appear foolish
  • Spanish: ridiculizar — to cause to appear foolish
  • Bulgarian: омаловажавам (omalovažavam) — to deprive of strength or efficacy
  • Finnish: tylsistää — to deprive of strength or efficacy
  • Italian: vanificare — to deprive of strength or efficacy
  • Italian: sbriciolare — to deprive of strength or efficacy
  • Bulgarian: признавам за невменяем (priznavam za nevmenjaem) — to prove to be of unsound mind
  • Italian: denigrare — to prove to be of unsound mind
  • Italian: smontare — to prove to be of unsound mind
  • Italian: smantellare — to prove to be of unsound mind