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
  • Studies have shown that countries with stronger IP systems tend to be more innovative, while weaker IP systems may stifle innovation.
    — Andrei Iancu, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Are scientists hindered by a weak grasp of the physics driving GRBs?
    — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of weak
Verb
  • Economist Thomas Philippon calculates that weakened competition costs the typical household about $300 a month.
    — Christopher Marquis, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The Houthis are the crown jewel in this network, given how much Hezbollah has been weakened.
    — Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of weakened
Adjective
  • In 1937, Foyles started the Right Book Club, a rather feeble counterweight to Victor Gollancz’s Left Book Club.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The probe’s landing gear is designed to absorb the energy of each landing to mitigate the risk of tipping over or bouncing back into space, a real concern with the feeble and uneven gravity field on Phobos.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of feeble
Verb
  • Lead times for the iPhone 18 Pro have softened in several markets compared with the prior cycle, while the more expensive Pro Max has held up better, according to JPMorgan's tracking.
    — MacKenzie Sigalos,Kif Leswing, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The anthem video features Zankov speaking about tactile and nostalgic references, such as leather softened by a long journey and the feeling of cashmere on the skin, that inspired the collection.
    — David Moin, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of softened
Adjective
  • An individualized exercise and diet program can improve their chances of survival while on the waiting list, a study published Wednesday in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology found, with the frailest patients often benefiting the most.
    — Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 22 Oct. 2026
  • In the novels, Violet is described as a small, frail cadet with dark black hair subtly streaked with silver who requires significantly more dragon-riding practice and precision than her peers.
    — Isabelle Farina, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of frail
Verb
  • Trump is waging a campaign in the final moments of the midterm election to quell discontent among farmers, truckers and drivers exhausted by $4 gas and near-record diesel.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
  • In an interview with the Financial Times, published today, Zelenskyy indicated his own patience had been exhausted.
    — David Hickey, NBC news, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of exhausted
Adjective
  • The vehicle caught on fire in front of a local orphanage for disabled children.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Singletary has used her own life experiences including raising her kids, helping take care of her disabled brother and planning her estate to help her readers navigate their financial journeys.
    — Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 16 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 25 Oct. 2026.

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