ENFEEBLING Synonyms: 153 Similar and Opposite Words

enfeebling 1 of 2

adjective

as in debilitating

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Dissimilar Words

enfeebling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of enfeeble

as in weakening

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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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 enfeebling

Verb

In Church’s day, that separation depended on promoting a robust idea of American innocence over Europe’s enfeebling corruption. — Sebastian Smee, New Yorker, 4 May 2026 If the goal instead is regime weakening—enfeebling the Islamic Republic so the Iranian public could overwhelm it—there are two ways forward. — Dennis Ross, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026 If that is the case, the economic effect will be to draw capital out of emerging market economies, enfeebling them (and their currencies and bond markets). — Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for enfeebling

Adjective

According to the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), threats to these sectors can create debilitating impacts on the economy, public health and safety.

— Julie Song, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2026
That’s a good thing, in the sense that even if a child is infected, the vast majority do not develop debilitating, and potentially fatal, consequences.

— Eli Cahan, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of debilitating

Verb

That slows price increases by generally weakening economic growth.

— Matt Peterson, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026
The immediate priorities are to understand which existing revenue is most secure, where client demand may be weakening and which relationships could lead to additional or recurring work.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of weakening

Adjective

This is a good time to organize the list, clarify expectations, or make a routine feel less draining.

— Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Aug. 2026
Speaking of the part of van life spent behind the wheel, Volkswagen has slightly reworked the Grand California's driver-assistance suite to make driving a little less draining.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 10 July 2026

Definition of draining

Verb

The Sagittarius Moon trines Chiron in your partnership zone, softening the instinct to package every feeling so perfectly that nobody could possibly object.

— Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
China's oil import diet in turn helped ease global demand, softening the upward price effects for the United States, Europe and beyond.

— ABC News, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of softening

Adjective

But the most mentally fatiguing aspect, the work found, was having to constantly supervise the AI tools, with some employees overseeing multiple AI agents performing different tasks at the same time.

— Frank Landymore, Futurism, 12 Mar. 2026
My friend was in course of opening up his country house unassisted, and after a fatiguing day discovered that the only practical bed was a child’s affair— long enough but scarcely wider than a crib.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026

Definition of fatiguing

Adjective

Zibanejad was a deserving team MVP in an otherwise demoralizing 2025-26 campaign, posting his highest totals in three years for goals (34) and points (78).

— Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Suddenly, in this most demoralizing scenario, USC is out of the Playoff picture at the halfway point of the season.

— Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of demoralizing

Adjective

There was a twisted irony in the internal confrontation required to make a record like that, mirroring the exhausting amount of time we were all made to spend with ourselves back then.

— Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 17 Sep. 2026
There was always going to be some regression, but in this season of extremes, the whiplash is exhausting.

— Matt Gelb, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of exhausting

Browse Nearby Words

enfeebles

enfeebling

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“Enfeebling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enfeebling. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of enfeebling

adjective

verb

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