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
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Recent Examples of debility
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
As with fibroids, hormonal treatments and surgical options can help, though scarring and changes in the nervous system’s threshold for perceiving pain (eventually creating the experience of pain even in the absence of a stimulus) can create long-term debilities.
—Laura Kolbe, The New York Review of Books, 18 Jan. 2024
In Amy Schumer’s comedy special Emergency Contact, the comedian talks about developing hyperemesis gravidarum, a potentially life-threatening condition that causes extreme, persistent nausea and vomiting and might lead to malnutrition, dehydration, and debility.
—Brianna Holt, Vogue, 7 July 2023
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
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
As with fibroids, hormonal treatments and surgical options can help, though scarring and changes in the nervous system’s threshold for perceiving pain (eventually creating the experience of pain even in the absence of a stimulus) can create long-term debilities.
—Laura Kolbe, The New York Review of Books, 18 Jan. 2024
In Amy Schumer’s comedy special Emergency Contact, the comedian talks about developing hyperemesis gravidarum, a potentially life-threatening condition that causes extreme, persistent nausea and vomiting and might lead to malnutrition, dehydration, and debility.
—Brianna Holt, Vogue, 7 July 2023
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
Noun
-
Let’s examine their specs, strengths, weaknesses and differences, along with how Edmunds’ car experts rated them overall and in specific categories.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Their weaknesses could be balanced with machine strengths.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Asha was admitted at the hospital on late Saturday with a chest infection and exhaustion, her granddaughter Zanai Bhosle said in a social media post.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Bhosle, who was the younger sister of singer Lata Mangeshkar, had been moved to a private hospital in Mumbai on Saturday evening because of a chest infection and exhaustion, her granddaughter Zanai Bhosle said earlier.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Symptoms include fatigue, sensitivity to cold, and muscle stiffness.—
Christopher Edwards,
PEOPLE,
11 Apr. 2026
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For example, fatigue is reported in some GLP-1 trials.—
Emily Kay Votruba,
EverydayHealth.com,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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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
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When hair endures damage from styling treatments, color, or heat, the hair’s keratin composition can be compromised, leading to feebleness and a greater risk of breakage.—
Sophie Wirt,
InStyle,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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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.—
Kff Health News,
Oc Register,
14 Apr. 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Debility.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debility. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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