debilitate

verb

de·​bil·​i·​tate di-ˈbi-lə-ˌtāt How to pronounce debilitate (audio)
dē-
debilitated; debilitating

transitive verb

: to impair the strength of : enfeeble
sailors debilitated by scurvy
an economy debilitated by years of civil war
debilitation noun

Did you know?

Debilitate, enfeeble, undermine, and sap all share the general sense "to weaken." But while debilitate holds the distinction among these words of coming from the Latin word for "weak"—debilis—it packs a potent punch. Often used of disease or something that strikes like a disease or illness, debilitate might suggest a temporary impairment—but a pervasive one at that. Enfeeble, a very close synonym of debilitate, connotes a pitiable, but often reversible, condition of weakness and helplessness. Undermine and sap suggest a weakening by something working surreptitiously and insidiously.

Choose the Right Synonym for debilitate

weaken, enfeeble, debilitate, undermine, sap, disable mean to lose or cause to lose strength or vigor.

weaken may imply loss of physical strength, health, soundness, or stability or of quality, intensity, or effective power.

a disease that weakens the body's defenses

enfeeble implies a condition of marked weakness and helplessness.

enfeebled by starvation

debilitate suggests a less marked or more temporary impairment of strength or vitality.

the debilitating effects of surgery

undermine and sap suggest a weakening by something working surreptitiously and insidiously.

a poor diet undermines your health
drugs had sapped his ability to think

disable suggests bringing about impairment or limitation in a physical or mental ability.

disabled by an injury sustained at work

Examples of debilitate in a Sentence

The virus debilitates the body's immune system. the heart surgery debilitated the college athlete beyond his worst fears
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Roberts is quite good as an energetic young woman determined not to let her control-freak mom (Sally Field) or a debilitating medical condition get the best of her. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025 Her history of breast cancer disqualifies her from taking HRT, but she’s spent about $500 on items like cooling pajamas to relieve debilitating hot flashes. Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 8 Oct. 2025 Yet in the doc, her years of control over her image are peeled away to reveal a woman who, in her 50s, has been delivered from the debilitating need for public approval. Raven Smith, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2025 Given the debilitating nature of SMIs, patients tend to be poor, explains Sharfstein. Rhitu Chatterjee, NPR, 6 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for debilitate

Word History

Etymology

Latin debilitatus, past participle of debilitare to weaken, from debilis weak

First Known Use

1533, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of debilitate was in 1533

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Cite this Entry

“Debilitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/debilitate. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

debilitate

verb
de·​bil·​i·​tate di-ˈbil-ə-ˌtāt How to pronounce debilitate (audio)
debilitated; debilitating
: to reduce the strength of : weaken
debilitation noun

Medical Definition

debilitate

transitive verb
de·​bil·​i·​tate di-ˈbil-ə-ˌtāt How to pronounce debilitate (audio)
debilitated; debilitating
: to impair the strength of
a body debilitated by disease
debilitation noun

More from Merriam-Webster on debilitate

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