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
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
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
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debility
Noun
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The weakness that began in technology stocks spread through Asia and Europe on Tuesday, while precious metals also came under pressure as investors reassessed the path of interest rates.
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When the complex was being constructed, there were deviations from the building’s original design, contributing to structural weaknesses, the report said.
Noun
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The title Wowed Out comes from James’ own phrase for the sensory exhaustion brought on by modern life.
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The war-weariness in Sadeq’s words reflects the exhaustion felt throughout Lebanon, but especially among the Shiites who form a third of its 6 million residents.
Noun
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But Zelenskyy’s decision to name a military unit after the UPA drew fury from Warsaw, which had already shown signs of war fatigue over the influx of refugees and economic drain of supporting Ukraine’s fight.
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Patients most often notice symptoms like swelling and fatigue, as Williams did.
Noun
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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.
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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.
Noun
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The cases were said to be in people with significant underlying health conditions, including organ and immune system dysfunction, as well as debilitation.
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Nobody wants to watch a loved one endure the pain, debilitation, and loss of independence that can follow a serious fall.
Cite this Entry
“Debility.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debility. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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