1
as in deterioration
a gradual sinking and wasting away of mind or body
the debilitation that all the prisoners of war had experienced during their captivity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in weakness
the quality or state of lacking physical strength or vigor
attributed the patient's general debilitation to an iron deficiency
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of debilitation
Nobody wants to watch a loved one endure the pain, debilitation, and loss of independence that can follow a serious fall.
—
Brian Frost, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2026
In New Jersey, lawmakers are considering a bill to amend a state law that allows parents to nominate standby, or temporary, guardians in the cases of death, incapacity, or debilitation.
—CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2026
In New Jersey, lawmakers are considering a bill to amend a state law that allows parents to nominate standby, or temporary, guardians in the cases of death, incapacity, or debilitation.
—Kff Health News, Oc Register, 14 Apr. 2026
Those citing such ominous scenarios envisioned other possible dangers, including the debilitation of America’s security guarantees to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf oil exporters.
—Paul Blustein, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
Brian Frost, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2026
In New Jersey, lawmakers are considering a bill to amend a state law that allows parents to nominate standby, or temporary, guardians in the cases of death, incapacity, or debilitation.
—CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2026
In New Jersey, lawmakers are considering a bill to amend a state law that allows parents to nominate standby, or temporary, guardians in the cases of death, incapacity, or debilitation.
—Kff Health News, Oc Register, 14 Apr. 2026
Those citing such ominous scenarios envisioned other possible dangers, including the debilitation of America’s security guarantees to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf oil exporters.
—Paul Blustein, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debilitation
Noun
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Still, any miscalculation or direct confrontation at sea could tip the diplomatic posturing into rapid deterioration and risk jeopardizing the fragile stability in the detente between Washington and Beijing.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Toss any berries showing signs of deterioration.—
Jessica Farthing,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Symptoms depend on the patient, but MS can cause muscle weakness, vision changes, walking problems, numbness, and more.—
Allison DeGrushe,
StyleCaster,
21 Apr. 2026
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Verdad Advisers Dan Rasmussen Additionally, a deeper concern for investors is that the current episode is exposing structural weaknesses in the private market model itself.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Meanwhile, Democrats took the opportunity to grill Kennedy on the upsurge in vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles, under his watch and the weakening of the childhood vaccine schedule.—
Will Stone,
NPR,
16 Apr. 2026
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The fact that weakening was observed at all four locations is significant, said Shane Elipot, a physical oceanographer at the University of Miami and a report author.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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When John begins spitting out his food, his mother, Heather (Shirley Henderson), worn down by exhaustion and anger, banishes him from the dinner table—the first in an unceasing series of maternal rejections.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
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Sepideh Moafi is incredible in this scene, perfectly hitting every note of the anger, fear, and exhaustion Al-Hashimi is feeling.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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His trajectory is one of softening, from the swaggering knight of the opening to the irrepressible lover of the second act to his final physical debility.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
11 Mar. 2026
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In Will There Ever Be Another You, the main character struggles with an illness similar to long COVID, descending into a state of debility and psychosis as readers experience the chaos of her unraveling life.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Symptoms include fatigue, sensitivity to cold, and muscle stiffness.—
Christopher Edwards,
PEOPLE,
11 Apr. 2026
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For example, fatigue is reported in some GLP-1 trials.—
Emily Kay Votruba,
EverydayHealth.com,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Debilitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debilitation. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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