as in to weaken
to diminish the physical strength of
the heart surgery debilitated the college athlete beyond his worst fears
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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 debilitate
Kice Akkawi, Rolling Stone, 16 June 2025
The condition occurs when someone is navigating stressful situations and debilitating emotions, like grief and heartbreak (which may seem rare for men to experience), but it can also be triggered by physical illness or surgery.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 12 June 2025
The goal is to contain it and to allow patients to live longer without debilitating symptoms.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 June 2025
But this invasive mosquito species is quite efficient at transmitting a variety of debilitating diseases to humans, such as dengue, chikugunya, Zika virus, and malaria, just to name a few.
—Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for debilitate
Verb
With a mind engaged in varied tasks, the time dedicated to art becomes sharper, less prone to the debilitating self-analysis that can derail artistic momentum.
—Kice Akkawi, Rolling Stone, 16 June 2025
The condition occurs when someone is navigating stressful situations and debilitating emotions, like grief and heartbreak (which may seem rare for men to experience), but it can also be triggered by physical illness or surgery.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 12 June 2025
The goal is to contain it and to allow patients to live longer without debilitating symptoms.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 June 2025
But this invasive mosquito species is quite efficient at transmitting a variety of debilitating diseases to humans, such as dengue, chikugunya, Zika virus, and malaria, just to name a few.
—Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for debilitate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debilitate
Verb
-
Abandoning recognition can erode motivation, diminish engagement and make employees feel invisible, weakening the cultural fabric and undermining long-term resilience.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
-
But in an unexpected ruling in 2023, the Supreme Court declined an invitation to weaken Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.—
June 27,
CBS News,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
Most of the time, the summer slide—in other words, the deterioration of intellectual skills gained during the school year, during a period when kids are on breaks—is associated with a student’s reading skills, says Alexander.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
25 June 2025
-
The disease causes deterioration of nerve cells in the brain, a process that sets off a series of worsening symptoms.—
Jack Knudson,
Discover Magazine,
19 June 2025
Noun
-
The pair argues that Europe risks falling behind not due to a lack of technical capability but because of structural market weaknesses.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
20 June 2025
-
Frank is committed to improving players’ strengths and weaknesses, and this is an area that could facilitate Tel’s development.—
Elias Burke,
New York Times,
20 June 2025
Verb
-
Freezing is best when using your onions for cooked dishes like soups, stews, sautés, or stir-fries, as the texture will soften after thawing.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
21 June 2025
-
Has the business with Grady softened their stance on him at all?—
Hunter Ingram,
Variety,
20 June 2025
Noun
-
While other editors navigated the daily grind in a visible state of exhaustion, Wintour, with her signature bob, dark sunglasses, and famously enigmatic composure, cultivated an air of mystery and authority that few could emulate.—
Jeetendr Sehdev,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
Now, there are signs of upside exhaustion to suggest that MSFT may soon relinquish its leadership stronghold.—
Katie Stockton,
CNBC,
30 June 2025
Noun
-
The shadow of death and debility haunted American women throughout the nineteenth century.—
Jenny Noyce,
JSTOR Daily,
28 June 2024
-
President Biden’s troubles — lingering inflation, wars and rumors of wars, his debility — could have benefited any Republican.—
David Harsanyi,
National Review,
25 Jan. 2024
Noun
-
Add alert fatigue and organizations are left with blind spots hidden behind dashboards.—
Rick Hutchinson,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
-
Regardless of your fitness level, stay alert for other cardiac warning signs, too: pain that radiates down your arm or jaw, unusual fatigue, and fainting or almost fainting.—
Cindy Kuzma,
SELF,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Debilitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debilitate. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share