debilitation

noun

Definition of debilitationnext
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

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 debilitation Infected animals will eventually show signs of abnormal behavior, weight loss and physical debilitation in later stages of the disease. — Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 The cases were said to be in people with significant underlying health conditions, including organ and immune system dysfunction, as well as debilitation. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 9 June 2026 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 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
  1. deterioration
  2. weakness
  3. weakening
  4. exhaustion
  5. debility
  6. fatigue
Noun
  • By those measures, PJP continues to stand out, particularly as other areas of the market experience technical deterioration.
    — Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2026
  • This deterioration releases toxic substances from muscle fibers into the blood and kidneys, which can cause kidney damage.
    — Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of deterioration
Noun
  • Uruguay's secularism has roots in the weakness of its colonial church.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Google DeepMind researchers have used AI agents to discover cryptographic techniques that expose weaknesses in legacy RSA encryption up to 1,600 times faster than previous methods.
    — Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of weakness
Noun
  • The latest weakening of criteria is baffling if not unsurprising given the agency’s pitifully weak, unserious leadership.
    — Diana Urban, Hartford Courant, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The hurricane center said the storm's intensity could fluctuate over the next few days but would likely maintain hurricane strength through Thursday, with gradual weakening forecast thereafter.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of weakening
Noun
  • This is a war film in style and substance, emphasizing the mental exhaustion of a country that cannot handle any more carnage.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Grief brings a lot of physical exhaustion with mental exhaustion.
    — Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of exhaustion
Noun
  • In recent years, white supremacists have embraced the concept of lactose intolerance as a distinguishing debility of nonwhite people.
    — Hilary Smith, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026
  • And, when pets suffered from cancer or heart failure or debility, conversations about what to do next were emotional but often straightforward.
    — Sunita Puri, New Yorker, 6 June 2026
Definition of debility
Noun
  • The Latvian is reportedly dealing with recurring symptoms tied to Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), which can cause dizziness and fatigue.
    — Ryan Morik OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2026
  • In studies, withdrawal from kratom has appeared mild on a scale that measures clinical opioid withdrawal, with symptoms like anxiety, fatigue, gastrointestinal issues, and restlessness.
    — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of fatigue

Browse Nearby Words

debilitating
debilitation
debility
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Debilitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debilitation. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Nov. 13

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
speech-bubble-untangle
Simplify The Convoluted Expression Quiz A quiz that’s as “uncomplicated as a round de...
See All