Meanings
present singular third person declaws · participle present declawing · participle past declawed · past declawed
- transitivebiologyTo surgically remove the claws of (an animal); to perform onychectomy on.
On Oct. 9, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill that bans cats from being declawed statewide. Veterinarians can no longer declaw cats even if an owner wants the procedure to be done.
2025 October 20, Kai Arellano, “New California law prohibits declawing cats”, in CapRadio, archived from the original on 25 Oct 2025 - figurativelytransitiveTo make harmless; to remove the power, authority, or force from.
The acerbic comedy has been declawed by the demands of network TV.
1 more example
If, when the moment arrives, China is unwilling to side with its allies, the Arabs will rapidly find a declawed Chinese dragon unwelcome.
2016 January 25, “Why Arabs would regret a toothless Chinese dragon”, in The National, archived from the original on 10 Jul 2024, retrieved 25 Jan 2016
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*de
- Proto-Indo-European*déh₁
- Proto-Italic*dē
- Latindē
- Latindē-
- Englishde-
- Englishclaw
- Englishdeclaw
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with declaw
Anagrams
Cite this entry
declaw. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/declaw
“declaw.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/declaw. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “declaw,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/declaw.
Source: declaw on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.