debilitating 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of debilitatingnext
as in demoralizing

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Dissimilar Words

debilitating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of debilitate
as in weakening
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

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 debilitating
Adjective
But any movement that engages her core muscles — bending, turning, stretching — is painful and debilitating. — Daniela Suarez, NBC news, 31 July 2026 Though it’s been reported in more than 100 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, the debilitating, stigmatizing, and deadly disease is still largely ignored. — Borna Nyaoke-Anoke, STAT, 30 July 2026
Verb
American media still remained pointed and punchy, free from debilitating lawsuits or destabilizing pressures. — Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026 For decades, this gap between normal test results and very real, debilitating symptoms had left patients with few answers. — Mackenzi Moore, The Conversation, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for debilitating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debilitating
  1. demoralizing
  2. weakening
  3. draining
  4. softening
  5. fatiguing
  6. exhausting
  7. discouraging
  8. wasting
Adjective
  • Suddenly, in this most demoralizing scenario, USC is out of the Playoff picture at the halfway point of the season.
    — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026
  • On top of all that, having to say this again and again is demoralizing.
    — Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of demoralizing
Verb
  • If superconductivity in magic-angle graphene were primarily driven by phonons, or vibrations of the atomic lattice, weakening Coulomb interactions would be expected to leave the effect largely unchanged or even strengthen it slightly.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Caterpillar carries a weakening relative strength score of just 4 out of 10 versus the S & P 500.
    — Tony Zhang, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of weakening
Adjective
  • This is a good time to organize the list, clarify expectations, or make a routine feel less draining.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Speaking of the part of van life spent behind the wheel, Volkswagen has slightly reworked the Grand California's driver-assistance suite to make driving a little less draining.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 10 July 2026
Definition of draining
Verb
  • From removing stubborn stains to softening scratchy towels, vinegar consistently tackles the problems that detergents and fabric softeners sometimes leave behind.
    — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Meanwhile, the vitamins, delivered via skin-softening plant oils, help moisturize and firm the skin.
    — Jenny Berg, Vogue, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of softening
Adjective
  • But the most mentally fatiguing aspect, the work found, was having to constantly supervise the AI tools, with some employees overseeing multiple AI agents performing different tasks at the same time.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 12 Mar. 2026
  • My friend was in course of opening up his country house unassisted, and after a fatiguing day discovered that the only practical bed was a child’s affair— long enough but scarcely wider than a crib.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026
Definition of fatiguing
Verb
  • The dispute has become even more complicated because some members of the 2022 class pursued professional opportunities after exhausting their eligibility under the previous system.
    — Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Pick up a gentler, over-the-counter retinoid that won’t irritate your more sensitive skin, and will stimulate collagen production without exhausting your cells.
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of exhausting
Adjective
  • His fellow scientists are neither comforting nor discouraging.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Then a rough 2025, a crowded rotation in 2026 and a discouraging bullpen stint led Pfaadt back to Reno.
    — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of discouraging
Verb
  • As Mars and Saturn clash, avoid wasting your energy trying to fight FOMO!
    — USA TODAY, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The Dodgers dropped another one-run heartbreaker in Detroit, wasting Blake Snell’s five innings of one-run baseball as the Tigers walked off with a 2-1 win.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of wasting

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Cite this Entry

“Debilitating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debilitating. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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