debilitated 1 of 2

adjective

as in weak
lacking bodily strength the debilitated prisoners could barely stand

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debilitated

2 of 2

verb

past tense of debilitate
as in weakened
to diminish the physical strength of the heart surgery debilitated the college athlete beyond his worst fears

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of debilitated
Verb
In gratifying the left, the Warren Court debilitated the long tradition of opposing judicial supremacy. — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 After being shocked with the glove, the officer screamed and dropped to the ground, briefly debilitated for the moment the glove made contact with his skin. — Meg Anderson, NPR, 12 Aug. 2026 In Desert Storm, the short duration of ground operations was made possible by an air campaign that debilitated Iraq’s entire military establishment. — David A. Deptula, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026 Destruction of their livelihoods and more — they are debilitated. — Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026 Israel quickly debilitated Iran’s air defenses and caused significant damage to Iran’s military and nuclear infrastructure. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026 The war, the latest and most extensive Israel offensive in the Gaza Strip, has greatly debilitated Hamas. — Foreign Correspondent, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2026 Amid an unprecedented cold snap in the Upper Florida Keys, six juvenile green sea turtles were discovered debilitated by frigid waters and are now undergoing intensive care at the Turtle Hospital in Marathon. — Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debilitated
  1. weak
  2. weakened
  3. feeble
  4. softened
  5. frail
  6. exhausted
  7. disabled
  8. tired
Adjective
  • The makeup is top-tier, the Aaliyah swoop bang is swooping, and the jewelry accents stand out without doing too much, which is usually her weak spot.
    — Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Brennan's maiden win came at the 2025 Bank of Utah Championship in November against an admittedly weaker field.
    — Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of weak
Verb
  • Isaias has weakened dramatically since making landfall last night as a Category 2 hurricane.
    — Erika Angulo, NBC news, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Wide swaths of the Southwest were deluged Sunday as the remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel weakened and moved inland, but coastal communities already battered by high surf emerged with less damage than some officials feared.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of weakened
Adjective
  • Then, Washington tight end Decker DeGraaf caught a pass and took off down the sideline, the former Glendora High standout running through two feeble-arm tackles on the way to an inexplicable 42-yard touchdown.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Briogeo Destined for Density Serum The Briogeo Destined for Density Serum is a lightweight liquid formula that thickens feeble strands, plumps roots, and rapidly spurs new hair growth.
    — Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of feeble
Verb
  • At its center is Saujet Cannes, a tuberose creation softened by coconut water, peach blossom, solar amber, jasmine, neroli, vetiver and vanilla.
    — Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The drinks, developed with Pankaj Balachandran of Countertop, include a whisky highball made with water softened in clay pots over days.
    — Karina Acharya, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of softened
Adjective
  • At a concert this past weekend in Cincinnati, the Beach Boys’ first show since July, apart from a private performance in Dana Point, California, Love appeared somewhat frail, according to a fan video.
    — Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The curtain then opened to reveal a frail Mike Love seated in a chair at the center of the stage.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of frail
Verb
  • The person with the least votes after each round is eliminated, with ballots reapportioned or exhausted until the winner clears 50%.
    — Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 14 Oct. 2026
  • In fact, even before the show actually starts, Bob can be exhausted, having been awake since some ridiculous hour.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of exhausted
Adjective
  • The movie offered a sly critique of Korea’s rapid urbanization, and introduced the wayward types (bar girls, severely disabled men) that would populate all of Lee’s films.
    — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The closure is part of a project to improve access for disabled visitors and replace the library’s heating and air conditioning system.
    — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of disabled
Verb
  • For the project Winter and her team tired coupling plasma with electrocatalysis.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Shelton’s serve had manacled him just enough; the first set’s effort had tired him just enough.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of tired

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Cite this Entry

“Debilitated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debilitated. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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