as in to weaken
to diminish the physical strength of
long periods of being confined to a hospital bed will enfeeble anyone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in deterioration
a gradual sinking and wasting away of mind or body
daily exercise can help to halt some of the enfeeblement that comes with advanced years
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in weakness
the quality or state of lacking physical strength or vigor
a lot of the enfeeblement I've experienced since the accident is being gradually diminished by daily physical therapy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 enfeeble
Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
That more recent tradition of the Bears — over the last 3 1/2 decades — has been one of mediocrity and that’s something Warren and Ryan Poles — and anyone else attached to the coaching search in any manner — has to convince top candidates will not enfeeble the organization moving forward.
—Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 9 Dec. 2024
With its proxies enfeebled, the failure of Iran’s second missile barrage to do significant damage, and its adversaries’ superior military and intelligence capacities, the Islamic Republic’s hand has undoubtedly been weakened.
—Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2024
To gain the gavel, McCarthy had to make a series of humiliating, enfeebling concessions to his far-right flank that more or less disempowered him.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 28 Apr. 2023
Decades of mass incarceration have resulted in a prison population growing older and more enfeebled, and has introduced the challenge of reintegrating people coming out after long sentences, often with few skills, into a society that technology has made alienatingly unfamiliar.
—Ginia Bellafante, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2023
Yet an honest accounting forced me to admit that my ability to party, protest, and publish has been far more enfeebled than enabled by social media.
—Peter Rubin, Longreads, 7 Mar. 2023
Most of the time, the result will enfeeble the virus.
—Boyce Upholt, The New Republic, 19 Sep. 2022
The paradox is that trauma’s lingering impacts can enfeeble human connection, weakening even the strongest of social bonds.
—New York Times, 5 July 2022
Verb
Since then, Recep Erdogan has enfeebled the country’s institutions and its economic backbone and has turned a foreign policy that used to be based on ‘no trouble with neigbours’ to one of ‘trouble with neighbours’.
—Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
That more recent tradition of the Bears — over the last 3 1/2 decades — has been one of mediocrity and that’s something Warren and Ryan Poles — and anyone else attached to the coaching search in any manner — has to convince top candidates will not enfeeble the organization moving forward.
—Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 9 Dec. 2024
With its proxies enfeebled, the failure of Iran’s second missile barrage to do significant damage, and its adversaries’ superior military and intelligence capacities, the Islamic Republic’s hand has undoubtedly been weakened.
—Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2024
To gain the gavel, McCarthy had to make a series of humiliating, enfeebling concessions to his far-right flank that more or less disempowered him.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 28 Apr. 2023
Decades of mass incarceration have resulted in a prison population growing older and more enfeebled, and has introduced the challenge of reintegrating people coming out after long sentences, often with few skills, into a society that technology has made alienatingly unfamiliar.
—Ginia Bellafante, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2023
Yet an honest accounting forced me to admit that my ability to party, protest, and publish has been far more enfeebled than enabled by social media.
—Peter Rubin, Longreads, 7 Mar. 2023
Most of the time, the result will enfeeble the virus.
—Boyce Upholt, The New Republic, 19 Sep. 2022
The paradox is that trauma’s lingering impacts can enfeeble human connection, weakening even the strongest of social bonds.
—New York Times, 5 July 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enfeeble
Verb
-
In Colorado, for example, several AI companies recently lobbied to delay and weaken the state’s landmark AI accountability legislation — a preview of what unchecked industry influence could look like under a regulatory freeze.—
Anisha Sircar,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
-
Growing same-store sales by 3%, fueled by an increase in customer transactions, in a three-month period marked by tariff uncertainty and weakening consumer sentiment is impressive.—
Kevin Stankiewicz,
CNBC,
21 May 2025
Noun
-
Sulzberger writes passionately about the existential threats facing a free press, from economic collapse to political intimidation, and how journalism must stand as a bulwark in a time of profound civic deterioration.—
Jessica Sibley,
Time,
19 May 2025
-
Dan Wang Eurasia The 90-day tariff reduction and break does not guarantee a deal, especially given the deterioration of mutual trust between the U.S. and China, said Natixis’ senior economist Gary Ng.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
13 May 2025
Noun
-
With a newfound sense of self, Murderbot is forced to hide its disgust for human weakness and emotion.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
16 May 2025
-
Proton Mail encourages you to save a recovery key in the form of a lengthy code and a QR code, but that recovery key itself now becomes a weakness.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
14 May 2025
Verb
-
The alcohol-free formula is supremely gentle, made with sunflower seed oil to reinforce and soften the skin's barrier with every application, while the scent is strong enough to be refreshing but faint enough not to interfere with your perfume.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
15 May 2025
-
To soften the booziness, serve your drink over ice.—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 May 2025
Noun
-
In addition to exhaustion and dehydration, mountaineers can also find themselves at risk of avalanches, hypothermia and falling.—
Amy Woodyatt,
CNN Money,
13 May 2025
-
The cost of this mental churning extends beyond personal exhaustion.—
Melody Wilding,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
Noun
-
Mind fatigue can lead to shortcuts such as not thoroughly proofing an important email or opting out of decision-making with your team.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2025
-
And the economy-powering consumers are already showing some signs of fatigue: Sales at US retailers slowed sharply in April to 0.1% after a surge of 1.7% in March, when shoppers rushed to beat the slew of new tariffs.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
15 May 2025
Noun
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Enfeeble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enfeeble. Accessed 27 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share