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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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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
-
This means banana particles can remain between teeth for an extended period, giving bacteria more time to produce acids that weaken tooth enamel.14 6.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Verywell Health,
13 Aug. 2025
-
For Trump, whose political brand has long relied on projecting authenticity to his base, a sustained decline in honesty ratings could weaken his ability to roll out his agenda.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
By diplomatic standards, the deterioration has been abrupt.—
Andreas Kluth,
Mercury News,
14 Aug. 2025
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Other economists — such as those at Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Citigroup Inc. and UBS Group AG — interpreted the rapid deterioration in hiring more as a sign of weak labor demand, which would push the Fed to commence with rate reductions at its next policy meeting in September.—
Ashley Lutz,
Fortune,
9 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Kindness may sound like a luxury in today’s high-takes, deliver-faster, do more with less, margin-tighter world—or worse, weakness.—
Jason Walker PsyD,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
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History shows, however, that strengths can become weaknesses over time, and that is the most dangerous threat looming over these titans.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This multitasking formula from Dermalogica softens and hydrates skin as well as depuffs, brightens, and exfoliates it.—
Esme Benjamin,
People.com,
6 Aug. 2025
-
This beloved overnight treatment deeply hydrates and softens dry, flaky lips.—
Nora Colomer
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Between stress, shame, emotional disconnection, the current state of the world being challenging, and just plain exhaustion, desire can come and go.—
Dominique Fluker,
Essence,
5 Aug. 2025
-
The exhaustion and boredom is certainly a factor, but these books just aren’t making a strong case for themselves anymore.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
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From a physiological point of view, fatigue is associated with a rise in cortisol, the neuromediator that reflects our resilience to emotional or physical stress.—
Mélanie Defouilloy,
Vogue,
6 Aug. 2025
-
To be clear, however, your fatigue probably wouldn’t be isolated to mealtimes if this were the case.—
Caroline Tien,
SELF,
6 Aug. 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 22 Aug. 2025.
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