These two verbs have almost opposite meanings, although they are often confused; you may see them both used to mean “excite or energize”—but this is wrong.
Enervate means “make (someone) weak or tired.” Note that it begins with e- which means “out of” and here that means “take the energy out of”:
Working on the project all night had enervated him to the point where he fell asleep at work.
So, although you may see enervate used with the opposite meaning, do not make that mistake!
Innervate does not exactly mean “put energy in” but this is close and will help you remember it. Innervate really means “activate with nerves”:
The facial muscles are innervated by more nerves than any other part of the body.
You can see how innervate might be used to mean “energize,” metaphorically, however its use is properly limited to talking about actual nerves—and it is not a common word, but rather one used mainly by professionals in the biological sciences and health care.
More Examples of How to Use "Enervate" in a Sentence
- Drinking alcohol can quickly enervate the body and make it harder to function properly.
- Lack of sleep can enervate a person and make them more likely to get sick.
- Enervated by a hard case of the flu, Jimmy stayed home from work.
- The enervating work schedule was taking a toll on her health.
- Janet was so tired that even the thought of going for a walk seemed to enervate her.
More Examples of How to Use "Innervate" in a Sentence
- The new drug helps innervate the muscles, allowing them to move more easily.
- The doctors were able to innervate the muscles in his arm, and he was able to move it again.
- The procedure involves innervating the nerves in the arm so that they can regain some function.
- The doctor said that the surgery would innervate the nerves in my leg, and I would be able to walk again.
- Innervation is the process by which the nervous system stimulates the muscles.