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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debilitation
Noun
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The causes of the deterioration are different in each case, and some of Washington’s grievances against Brazil, India, and South Africa—global swing states that will help dictate which country leads the world—are legitimate.—
Richard Fontaine,
Foreign Affairs,
27 Oct. 2025 -
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, CMT causes a range of sensory and motor symptoms, including numbness, tingling, pain, muscle weakness and atrophy — deterioration in cells, tissues, and organs.—
Diana Leyva,
Nashville Tennessean,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Ancelotti and Zidane certainly had their own tactical ideas, but were also pragmatic and based game plans primarily on the characteristics (strengths and weaknesses) of the squad made available to them.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
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The Dodgers' bullpen is one of their weaknesses, meaning the team is asking a lot from starters.—
Aaliyan Mohammed,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Columbus’s historic journey to the Caribbean occurred amid significant changes in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, including the exploration of the Canary Islands and Cape Verde, the weakening of Islam, and the rise of Christianity in the form of Catholicism.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
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That was obviously the weakening of your internal khozayka.—
Julia Ioffe,
New Yorker,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Rochelle would drink a protein shake or eat leftovers if anxiety and exhaustion didn’t kill her hunger.—
Jayme Fraser,
USA Today,
30 Oct. 2025
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Due to the snowy, windy weather, the hikers were rescued in various conditions, with symptoms ranging from exhaustion to hypothermia.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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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
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The shadow of death and debility haunted American women throughout the nineteenth century.—
Jenny Noyce,
JSTOR Daily,
28 June 2024
Noun
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Researchers highlighted the current challenges for OCTOID, including slow thermal response and potential fatigue of CLCEs, and the weight of nichrome wires limiting flexibility.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Oct. 2025
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Hoka Women’s Transport Shoes This cushy shoe is designed with a rocker bottom that pushes you into your next step, putting off foot fatigue for longer.—
Jasmine Gomez,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Debilitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debilitation. Accessed 2 Nov. 2025.
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