as in weak
lacking bodily strength
the debilitated prisoners could barely stand
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in weakened
to diminish the physical strength of
the heart surgery debilitated the college athlete beyond his worst fears
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of debilitated
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
Verb
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
Adjective
-
Small hail is possible, and an isolated weak/brief tornado can't be ruled out.—
Mary Ours,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Sean McMorris, transparency, ethics and accountability program manager with California Common Cause, a nonpartisan government watchdog, said in an email Friday that heavy reliance on outside vendors can increase the risk of fraud or mismanagement if oversight is weak.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
With the war in Iraq raging, the 84-year-old pope, weakened by Parkinson’s disease and less than a year from his death, condemned the war in Iraq with Bush sitting right next to him.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Hezbollah, though weakened in its last war with Israel that ended in November 2024, still fires drones, rockets and artillery daily into northern Israel and on ground troops inside Lebanon.—
Kareem Chehayeb,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
For Bravo, race has always been that lingering chink in its armor — and the latest burgeoning Summer House drama threatens to continue to chip away at the network’s feeble defense against claims of racial insensitivity.—
Shamira Ibrahim,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Apr. 2026
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After that provocative setup, Dream Scenario unfortunately devolved into a feeble, simplistic cancel-culture satire.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Why buyers aren’t getting relief There are signs the market has softened compared with a year ago, with fewer offers on average and a smaller share of homes selling above list price, per NAR data.—
Mike Winters,
CNBC,
16 Apr. 2026
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There was a turn toward more casual dress in the United States, Abrego said, and attitudes softened.—
Jack Armstrong,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Physically frail, yet in full verbal command, Julian doesn’t talk to Lori so much as at her, pausing only to fire off questions that harden, in midair, into assumptions.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Meyerson had become frail and disoriented by the spring of 2019.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This latest denial likely closes the door for Williams to open a dispensary at the Broadway location — having exhausted most administrative routes.—
Hannah Elsmore,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
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In one panel, children maimed or exhausted by labor stare out bleakly; in another, unemployed men in a small industrial town sit or stand around.—
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
For instance, Medicare, which is the insurance program for older adults 65 and older in the United States and some disabled people is starting to negotiate the price of drugs for their populations.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
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Joglar Burrowes, who is disabled, said thousands of families had been waiting a long time for the solar systems and shouldn’t be forgotten.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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His opponent pressured him, tired him out and knocked him out.—
Brett Appley,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Plus, their fabric and fill are less likely to accrue that ever-darkening yellowish stain that tired goose down pillows acquire over time, thanks to sweat, oils, lotion residues, etc.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Debilitated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debilitated. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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