as in weak
lacking bodily strength
the enfeebled old woman now needs a companion to help her with everyday tasks
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in weakened
to diminish the physical strength of
long periods of being confined to a hospital bed will enfeeble anyone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of enfeebled
Wesley Morris,
New York Times,
9 June 2026
But given the island’s small size and enfeebled state, the risks seem much smaller than in Iran.
—
Niall Stanage,
The Hill,
20 May 2026
With this enfeebled mind my only recourse is poetry.
—
Literary Hub,
14 Jan. 2026
Chargers guards and center Bradley Bozeman, a trio whose job was made more difficult by subpar play by both offensive tackles, looked enfeebled against Indianapolis Colt tackle DeForest Buckner.
—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Oct. 2025
During a hospital stay, Roy’s enfeebled mother fixates on the caste and religious affiliations of the doctors treating her—the sort of thing that will be familiar to anyone who has cringed at a diminished elder’s unfiltered prejudices.
—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
3 Sep. 2025
Gregory A. Daddis,
The Conversation,
14 Mar. 2022
Adjective
By 1877, the hope for Black equality met an enfeebled federal government that essentially permitted Jim Crow to run amok.
—
Wesley Morris,
New York Times,
9 June 2026
But given the island’s small size and enfeebled state, the risks seem much smaller than in Iran.
—
Niall Stanage,
The Hill,
20 May 2026
With this enfeebled mind my only recourse is poetry.
—
Literary Hub,
14 Jan. 2026
Chargers guards and center Bradley Bozeman, a trio whose job was made more difficult by subpar play by both offensive tackles, looked enfeebled against Indianapolis Colt tackle DeForest Buckner.
—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Oct. 2025
During a hospital stay, Roy’s enfeebled mother fixates on the caste and religious affiliations of the doctors treating her—the sort of thing that will be familiar to anyone who has cringed at a diminished elder’s unfiltered prejudices.
—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
The costs of maintaining an enormous Cold War army and navy enfeebled an already unstable Soviet economy.
—
Gregory A. Daddis,
The Conversation,
14 Mar. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enfeebled
Adjective
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Following a year of historically weak hiring in 2025, hiring rebounded this spring.
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In a weak free-agency class, centers Robert Williams III (Portland) and Mark Williams (Phoenix) are already off the market, each reportedly agreeing to return to their current teams.
Verb
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Yet finance, policy certainty and infrastructure weakened for the first time in more than a decade.
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Internal fractures, economic decline and public frustration have weakened the movement and opened a new chapter of uncertainty.
Adjective
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The gags are both belabored and feeble.
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Jolted by a feeble office market, a growing number of developers are considering ways to convert their office properties to other uses, such as housing projects.
Verb
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The company disputed the vulnerability's severity, while the government's position softened amid industry criticism and fears of Chinese competitors gaining an advantage.
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Think sharp crops softened by length, or longer cuts styled with a deliberate edge.
Adjective
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The law had said medically frail people include those who have substance use disorders, disabilities or serious medical conditions.
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Roosevelt credits that experience with transforming him from a frail, nearsighted youth into a rugged individual who years later would become the 26th president and a pioneering conservationist.
Adjective
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The Dodge became disabled, and the troopers arrested the driver.
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Homeless residents, many of whom don’t have a car or are disabled, now have to travel outside of Skid Row to get stamps or mail a package.
Cite this Entry
“Enfeebled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enfeebled. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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