debilitating
adjective
de·bil·i·tat·ing
di-ˈbi-lə-ˌtā-tiŋ 
dē-
: causing serious impairment of strength or ability to function
debilitating pain
a debilitating fear of public speaking
a debilitating illness
Thirty years have passed since a vaccine wiped out polio, but some of those who conquered the debilitating disease as children are now experiencing symptoms that seem all too familiar.—
Fay Knicely
Fay KnicelySeveral of these drugs are now in clinical testing to determine whether they can reduce or eliminate the debilitating nausea suffered by cancer patients on chemotherapy.—Ron Cowen
Ron Cowen
debilitatingly
adverb
Debilitatingly asthmatic as a child, Scarfe developed his talent while amusing himself and acquired the cynicism for authority that empowers his … drawings and sculpture during many frightening encounters with medical incompetence.
—Ray Olson
Ray Olson
Did you know?
The verb debilitate (and its adjective form debilitating) comes from the Latin word for "weak," debilis. Often used of disease—as in, "the patient was debilitated"—it can also suggest something that strikes like a disease or illness, "the actor was debilitated by stage fright." In sum, the word suggests a temporary impairment or a condition of weakness and helplessness.
Examples of debilitating in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Robert Irsay had a debilitating stroke in 1995 and died 14 months later, leaving Jim in charge of the business.
—Michael Silver, New York Times, 22 May 2025
Woodrow Wilson suffered a debilitating stroke, a fact covered up by his wife and confidants, who exercised extraordinary power in his stead.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2025
Returning from California, and what would become the finale of her bucket list, a debilitating pain was now radiating throughout Madison’s mid-section to include her back and reproductive organs.
—Carissa Talmage, People.com, 2 May 2025
Black lung, a debilitating and often fatal condition caused by inhalation of coal and silica dust during mining, affects roughly 1 in 5 miners who have worked in the Central Appalachian mines for twenty-five years or more, according to NIOSH.
—Dr. Mark Abdelmalek, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2025
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Michael Silver, New York Times, 22 May 2025
Woodrow Wilson suffered a debilitating stroke, a fact covered up by his wife and confidants, who exercised extraordinary power in his stead.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2025
Returning from California, and what would become the finale of her bucket list, a debilitating pain was now radiating throughout Madison’s mid-section to include her back and reproductive organs.
—Carissa Talmage, People.com, 2 May 2025
Black lung, a debilitating and often fatal condition caused by inhalation of coal and silica dust during mining, affects roughly 1 in 5 miners who have worked in the Central Appalachian mines for twenty-five years or more, according to NIOSH.
—Dr. Mark Abdelmalek, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for debilitating
Cite this Entry
“Debilitating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/debilitating. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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