debilitating 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of debilitatingnext
as in demoralizing

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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
My symptoms are legion, but among the most debilitating is joint subluxation, or partial dislocation. — Lydia Cruz, Denver Post, 22 May 2026 Their assets, systems and networks are considered so essential that their disruption would have a debilitating impact on national security, public safety or the economy. — Emil Sayegh, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
Verb
Many of the hunters witnessed their acquaintances navigating those challenges and struggling with sometimes debilitating symptoms. — Bram Sable-Smith, NPR, 27 June 2026 Both medications prevent cravings and debilitating withdrawal symptoms among people who previously used heroin or fentanyl by binding with the same brain receptor. — Lev Facher, STAT, 25 June 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
  • The Lions would go on to suffer a demoralizing 4-1 loss to Germany that same year in a round of 16 match staged at an altitude of 4,600 feet.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 2 July 2026
  • The early goal from Germany was a bit demoralizing for the South American team, but Nilson Angulo was able to shake it off with a beautiful shot in the ninth minute to equalize.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 26 June 2026
Definition of demoralizing
Verb
  • Goldman Sachs predicts a sustained dollar weakening in 2026, driven by fiscal concerns and shifting global asset demand, marking a structural shift rather than a cyclical dip.
    — Jason Kirsch, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Ukrainian officials describe the strikes as a campaign to pressure Moscow to end the war by undermining its military logistics and supply lines and weakening its ability to mount assaults along the front.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 July 2026
Definition of weakening
Adjective
  • Others are voluntarily asking to see more patients because the most draining and time-consuming parts of their job are now handled by AI.
    — FJ Campbell, Fortune, 20 May 2026
  • Already carrying wider spans of control and shrinking development support, a manager operating against an outdated role definition is doing something more draining than managing a heavy workload.
    — Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 19 May 2026
Definition of draining
Verb
  • The ingredient list includes avocado, which is rich in fats and helps boost flexibility—thereby helping to prevent breakage—as well as sweet almond oil and shea butter for moisturizing and softening.
    — Eden Stuart, Glamour, 7 July 2026
  • In addition to softening and romanticizing looks, these bottoms are extremely comfortable.
    — Irene Richardson, InStyle, 4 July 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
  • And more than a decade into the LHC era, neither frontier has come close to exhausting its potential.
    — Florencia Canelli, Scientific American, 1 July 2026
  • That matters because unloading mixed freight can be exhausting work.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of exhausting
Adjective
  • Still, this was a discouraging result for anyone wearing yellow in Kansas City.
    — Kellis Robinett, Kansas City Star, 21 June 2026
  • The Chicago Blackhawks needed plenty after a discouraging 2024-25 season.
    — Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026
Definition of discouraging
Verb
  • Once again, no one is here for the play-acting, the time-wasting, the cheating.
    — Stuart James, New York Times, 5 July 2026
  • Rather than simply reducing power use across the board, the system attempts to identify exactly when machinery is wasting energy and proposes operational changes that can reduce consumption without disrupting productivity.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 4 July 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 9 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of debilitating for Spanish Speakers

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