Synonyms of debilitate

debilitate 1 of 2

verb

di-ˈbi-lə-ˌtāt 

as in to weaken

to diminish the physical strength of

the heart surgery debilitated the college athlete beyond his worst fears

Synonyms & Similar Words

• weaken
• soften
• injure
• hurt
• waste
• paralyze
• exhaust
• enfeeble
• enervate
• cripple
• sap
• tire
• damage
• impair
• devitalize
• incapacitate
• deplete
• depress
• prostrate
• disable
• impoverish
• etiolate
• harm
• hamstring
• invalid
• grind (down)
• lay up
• unman
• wash out
• wear out
• wear down
• break down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• strengthen
• fortify
• energize
• recruit
• invigorate
• beef (up)
• rejuvenate
• harden
• season
• vitalize
• toughen

debilitation

2 of 2

noun

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

• deterioration
• weakening
• decay
• degeneration
• decline
• exhaustion
• enfeeblement
• decaying
• declension
• atrophy
• ebbing
• descent
• regression
• setback
• relapse
• flagging
• limping
• drooping

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• improvement
• rehabilitation
• recovery
• recuperation
• revitalization
• strengthening
• progress
• comeback
• rally
• invigoration
• rejuvenation
• snapback
• rejuvenescence

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

• weakness
• exhaustion
• debility
• fatigue
• enervation
• feebleness
• impairment
• injury
• infirmity
• enfeeblement
• faintness
• asthenia
• languor
• fragility
• disablement
• frailty
• listlessness
• decay
• lowness
• languidness
• frailness
• damage
• breakdown
• wimpiness
• decrepitude
• tenderness
• collapse
• prostration
• helplessness
• impotence
• delicacy
• powerlessness
• incapacitation
• weariness
• lassitude
• invalidism
• harm
• softness
• hurt
• defenselessness
• impuissance
• effeteness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• strength
• vigor
• hardiness
• vitality
• robustness
• energy
• hardihood
• fitness
• virility
• health
• muscularity
• toughness
• huskiness
• hardness
• ruggedness
• sturdiness
• stoutness
• lustiness
• wellness
• soundness
• brawniness
• healthiness
• heftiness

Synonym Chooser

How is the word debilitate distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of debilitate are cripple, disable, enfeeble, sap, undermine, and weaken. While all these words mean "to lose or cause to lose strength or vigor," debilitate suggests a less marked or more temporary impairment of strength or vitality.

the debilitating effects of surgery

When is cripple a more appropriate choice than debilitate?

The words cripple and debilitate can be used in similar contexts, but cripple implies causing a serious loss of functioning power through damaging or removing an essential part or element.

crippled by arthritis

Where would disable be a reasonable alternative to debilitate?

While in some cases nearly identical to debilitate, disable suggests bringing about impairment or limitation in a physical or mental ability.

disabled by an injury sustained at work

When would enfeeble be a good substitute for debilitate?

Although the words enfeeble and debilitate have much in common, enfeeble implies a condition of marked weakness and helplessness.

enfeebled by starvation

How are the words undermine and sap related as synonyms of debilitate?

Both undermine and sap suggest a weakening by something working surreptitiously and insidiously.

a poor diet undermines your health

drugs had sapped his ability to think

When is it sensible to use weaken instead of debilitate?

While the synonyms weaken and debilitate are close in meaning, weaken may imply loss of physical strength, health, soundness, or stability or of quality, intensity, or effective power.

a disease that weakens the body's defenses

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of debilitate

Verb

They've also been angered by Kennedy's attempts to link vaccines to autism, going against decades of research that show no such link, and his framing of autism as a debilitating disease. — ABC News, 1 July 2026

Fati, once a prodigious talent who broke numerous records and inherited Lionel Messi's number 10 shirt, saw his promising career at the club severely impacted by a series of debilitating knee injuries. — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

Noun

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

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