Prostrate

/ˈpɹɒstɹeɪt/

Synonyms for "prostrate" (401 found)

Ranked by relevance and common usage.

Closest matches (81)

Adjective(2 words)

abject accumbent adorant adoring afflict aggrieveall inanguish backscratching beatbeat downbeat upbeaten bedfast bedridden beggarly bendblow downblow overbone-weary

Show 58 more words

bootlickingbow and scrapebow downbowl downbowl overbreakbreak downbring downbring lowbring to tearsbroken broken-down brokenheartedbrought downbrought lowbulldog bulldoze burnburn downburn outbushedcast downchop downconfined conquer conquered couch couchant couche cowering crawl crawling cringe cringing cripple crippled crouched crouching crush crushedcut downcut updashdash downdashed deaddead tireddead-and-alivedead-tired deadbeat debased debilitate deck decumbent deferential deflate demoralize demoralized

Verb(1 words)

bow down

Strong matches (120)

depressed desolate desolated devotional devout disable disabled disarm disarmed disqualifieddo indo updog tireddog-tired dog-weary donedone indone updown downcast

Show 89 more words

downthrown drained drapeddraw tearsdrop drown embitter enchain enervate exhaust exhausted fagfag outfaggedfagged outfallen fatigue fatigued fawning fell felledfetch downflag flat flatten flattened flattering floor floored footlicking frazzle gag gone grieve ground grovel groveling hamstring hamstrung handcuff hangdog harass heart-stricken heart-struck heartbroken helpless hewhew downhobblehog tiehog-tie hog-tied horizontal hospitalized hot humble humbled immobilize imploring impotentin childbedin hospitalin the dustincapacitate incapacitated ingratiating inundate inundated invalidated invalided jade knee-high kneel knockknock downknock outknock overknock upknocked flatknocked outkowtowlaid lowlaid uplay levellay lowlay outlevellie downlolling

Adjective(6 words)

devastated exhausted face-down flat humble lie

Verb(4 words)

groveled grovelled grovels kotow

Noun(1 words)

grovelling

Related words (200)

lounging low low-built low-hung low-level low-leveled low-lying low-set low-statured lowered lyinglying downmanacle master mastered mealymouthed mournfulmow downmuzzle neap

Show 168 more words

neurasthenic obeisant obsequiouson bended kneeoppress overcome overfatigue overpower overpowered override overstrain overtire overturn overweary overwhelm overwhelmed paralyze paralyzed parasiticplayed outpooppoop outpoopedpooped outpowerless prayerful precative precatory precipitate procumbent proneprostrate beforeprostratedpsych outpull downput downquell quelled rase razeready to droprecline reclining recumbent reduce reducedreduced to jellyreposing resupine reverent reverentialride downruin ruined runtysend headlongservile shake shaken short shotshot to piecessick abedsilence smash smashed sniveling solemn sorrow spent sponging sprawled sprawling spreadspread eaglespread-eagle squat squatty steamroller stooped stranglestretched outstricken stumpy subdue subdued subjugate subjugated submerged submissive submit subservient sunk sunken supinate supine suppliant supplicant supplicatory suppress suppressed sycophantictake downtear downthrottle throwthrow downtimeserving tiretire outtire to deathtiredtired outtired to deathtoadeating toadying toadyish topple tormenttrample downtrample underfoottread underfoottrip truckle truckling trusstruss uptuckertuckered outtumble unbrace undo undone unelevated unglued unman unmanned unnerve unnerved unstring unstrung upsetuse upused upvanquish vanquished venerational venerativewashed upwashed-up weaken wearwear downwear onwear outwearied wearyweary unto deathwhack downwhacked whelm wilt windwiped outworn outworn-out worshipful worshiping

Adjective(9 words)

lying flatlying proneoverwhelm overwhelmed recline subdue submissive subservient unerect

Verb(1 words)

prostrating

Noun(1 words)

reverencing

Adjective(1 words)

weak

Choosing the right synonym

Closest matches in this entry: prone, abject, accumbent, adorant, adoring.
Sentence evidence is available for prostrate, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.

Synonym selection checklist

Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "prostrate".
Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.

When not to replace "prostrate"

Keep "prostrate" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.

If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.

Replacement workflow

1. Preserve meaning

Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "prostrate" intact in the sentence you are editing.

2. Tune tone

Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.

3. Re-read context

Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.

Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.

Final fit check

After choosing a replacement for "prostrate", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.

If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "prostrate" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.

Related word relations

OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.

6 relation types

More general

14 entries

action alterbody positionchange condition deference lielie downloft modify posture state submission throw

More specific

9 entries

collapseextreme fatigueface down positionface-down posturekowtow postureparalyzeprone positionsevere illnesssuppliant posture

Collocations

8 entries

face-down positionface-down postureprostrate bodyprostrate positionprostrate postureprostration before the altarprostration during worshipsevere prostration

Inflections

5 entries

more prostratemost prostrateprostrated prostrates prostrating

Derivations

4 entries

past participle prostratedpast tense prostratedpresent participle prostratingprostration

similar

1 entries

unerect

Sample sentences

17 total sentences available.

Tatoeba + Wiktionary

He lay prostrate, ready to ambush the invaders.

Source: tatoeba (289362)

The bees swarmed over the prostrate plants, and by their incessant buzzing seemed to be lamenting their fate.

Source: tatoeba (6213370)

At his heels, aflame / with rage, comes Pyrrhus. Lo, in act to aim, / now, now, he clutches him, – a moment more, / e'en as before his parent's eyes he came, / the long spear reached him. Prostrate on the floor / down falls the hapless youth, and welters in his gore.

Source: tatoeba (6845952)

Scarce spake I, suddenly the bays divine / shook, and a trembling seized the temple door. / The mountain heaves, and from the opening shrine / loud moans the tripod. Prostrate on the floor / we her a voice:

Source: tatoeba (6970147)

Showing 4 of 17 available sentences.

Common questions

What are the closest synonyms for "prostrate"?

Closest matches include prone, abject, accumbent, adorant, adoring.

How should I check whether a synonym fits "prostrate"?

Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.

More for "prostrate"

Meaning

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