debility

noun

di-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce debility (audio)
Definition of debilitynext
as in weakness
the quality or state of lacking physical strength or vigor our grandmother's debility is due in large part to her advanced age

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 debility 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 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 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 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 Given their ages and debilities, these soldiers had been deemed unfit for active service. — David Grann, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2023 The Covid-19 pandemic has driven widespread debility, whether a result of distress or the virus itself, compounded in either case by political abandonment and public health failures. — Natalie Shure, The New Republic, 8 Dec. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debility
  1. weakness
  2. exhaustion
  3. fatigue
  4. feebleness
  5. debilitation
Noun
  • If a bear market arrives shortly after retirement, a cash reserve can allow a family to meet expenses without immediately selling long-term investments into weakness.
    — Steve Booren, Denver Post, 16 Aug. 2026
  • To be sure, efforts to prop up the yen were seen as short-term measures to address the symptoms rather than the root causes of the currency’s weakness.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of weakness
Noun
  • Spouses, in turn, asked what was being done to address issues of mental health and exhaustion, MS NOW reported.
    — Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • In addition to the end of the capital expenditure boom that built these excess factories, the exhaustion of markets would create the conditions for a crisis.
    — Michael B. G. Froman, Foreign Affairs, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of exhaustion
Noun
  • Rangers starter Jacob deGrom, who has been battling a left hip and glute injury since the All-Star break, was pulled after two innings because of right triceps fatigue.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Investigators also found signs of metal fatigue at the base of the fan blade that broke off, despite recent inspections of the fan blades.
    — Kris Van Cleave, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of fatigue
Noun
  • As Kasubhai observed, despite its legal feebleness, Kennedy’s declaration and its explicit threat has had a concrete impact on the provision of gender-affirming services to American youths.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
  • Signs of disease include warts on legs, crusty or swollen eyes, feebleness, a ruffled appearance, difficulty breathing, nasal discharge, and diarrhea.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 5 Mar. 2026
Definition of feebleness
Noun
  • 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
Definition of debilitation

Browse Nearby Words

debilitation
debility
debit
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Cite this Entry

“Debility.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debility. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of debility for Spanish Speakers

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