as in weakening
to diminish the physical strength of
the heart surgery debilitated the college athlete beyond his worst fears
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in demoralizing
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of debilitating
C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 17 May 2025
Often heralded as prophetic, this novel centers on a young girl with a debilitating form of hyperempathy.
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 12 Apr. 2025
Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 24 Feb. 2025
Broad-spectrum antibiotics have numerous side effects, including liver inflammation, bone marrow suppression, and debilitating (and sometimes deadly) diarrhea from Clostridium difficile.
—Judy Stone, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for debilitating
Verb
By then, the debilitating effects of the Kryptonite were already taking its toll.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 17 May 2025
Often heralded as prophetic, this novel centers on a young girl with a debilitating form of hyperempathy.
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 12 Apr. 2025
Adjective
This transition from theoretical to practical confrontation is all but debilitating, as the grieving father reaches the limits of his empathy.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 24 Feb. 2025
Broad-spectrum antibiotics have numerous side effects, including liver inflammation, bone marrow suppression, and debilitating (and sometimes deadly) diarrhea from Clostridium difficile.
—Judy Stone, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for debilitating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debilitating
Verb
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Moffett also said artificial intelligence isn’t driving an upgrade cycle as hoped, noting that there is weakening demand in China along with antitrust concerns.—
Jason Gewirtz,
CNBC,
8 Jan. 2025
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With high expectations for future new orders along with expanding current new orders, the outlooks for material handling and supply chain industries are positive, despite some weakening in the December MHI BAI report.—
Jason Schenker,
Forbes,
7 Jan. 2025
Verb
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An iron deficiency may lead to nail changes such as softening and weakness.—
Carrie Madormo, RN,
Health,
24 Dec. 2024
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Another indicator of a softening economy is Industrial Production.—
Robert Barone,
Forbes,
23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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His remarks in the immediate aftermath of the bombing campaign, as a result, are unsurprising.—
Ian Swanson,
The Hill,
22 June 2025
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And there is a robust Italian influence, one that is unsurprising given several centuries of Italian migration to the city.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
20 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Debilitating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debilitating. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.
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