as in to weaken
to diminish the physical strength of
the heart surgery debilitated the college athlete beyond his worst fears
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in deterioration
a gradual sinking and wasting away of mind or body
the debilitation that all the prisoners of war had experienced during their captivity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in weakness
the quality or state of lacking physical strength or vigor
attributed the patient's general debilitation to an iron deficiency
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of debilitate
Judy Stone, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025
Yet only in recent decades have efforts been made to close the gender gap and better help women with debilitating migraines.
—Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, Flow Space, 21 Feb. 2025
That stint lasted 18 months, cut short by a debilitating bout of chronic fatigue syndrome.
—Adam Begley, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2025
This transition from theoretical to practical confrontation is all but debilitating, as the grieving father reaches the limits of his empathy.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for debilitate
Verb
Broad-spectrum antibiotics have numerous side effects, including liver inflammation, bone marrow suppression, and debilitating (and sometimes deadly) diarrhea from Clostridium difficile.
—Judy Stone, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025
Yet only in recent decades have efforts been made to close the gender gap and better help women with debilitating migraines.
—Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, Flow Space, 21 Feb. 2025
That stint lasted 18 months, cut short by a debilitating bout of chronic fatigue syndrome.
—Adam Begley, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2025
This transition from theoretical to practical confrontation is all but debilitating, as the grieving father reaches the limits of his empathy.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for debilitate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debilitate
Verb
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Consumers are already losing confidence and pulling back on spending, weakening a key engine of the economy.—
Axios,
Axios,
11 Mar. 2025
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Signing Verdugo now would give the Yankees one less option to fill the Stanton void and weaken their lineup even more.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
11 Mar. 2025
Noun
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This industry is the major culprit in the bay’s deterioration.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
14 Feb. 2025
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In the fourth quarter, revenues were up 2 percent at constant exchange rates, returning to growth after several quarters of deterioration, mainly thanks to the improvement recorded by the wholesale channel.—
Luisa Zargani,
WWD,
13 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Vitamin A toxicity can cause vomiting, nausea, blurry vision, muscle weakness, liver damage and potential brain damage.—
Neha Mukherjee,
CNN,
5 Mar. 2025
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Hannah Mckay | Reuters London’s listing problem isn’t limited to the capital, with weakness in the U.S. and Asia too, according to the head of the London Stock Exchange Group.—
Zahra Tayeb,
CNBC,
5 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The new tariffs on Canada and Mexico had previously been on a monthlong pause, and many critics hoped that they would be softened, or eliminated, before their deadline to resume.—
Kevin Breuninger,
CNBC,
5 Mar. 2025
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Notes of sandalwood, seaweed, amber, and sea salt get a bit of a masculine edge from fir that’s then softened with feminine rose, all of which sit very close to the skin.—
Emily Orofino,
Vogue,
5 Mar. 2025
Noun
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While the world continues around them, parents of children with life-threatening illnesses experience profound exhaustion, fear, and anxiety.—
Friends of Karen,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
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In a time of intense polarization, voters in municipal elections that were held Tuesday around the Chicago area showed encouraging signs of exhaustion with politicians’ drama.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The shadow of death and debility haunted American women throughout the nineteenth century.—
Jenny Noyce,
JSTOR Daily,
28 June 2024
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According to this view, the outside world has been generous to Africa, providing substantial aid in recent decades, leaving no excuse for the continent’s debility.—
Howard W. French,
Foreign Affairs,
16 June 2015
Noun
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In addition, heavy exercise done while experiencing a respiratory viral illness can lead to chronic fatigue and even exacerbate myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle, according to a 2021 study published in the journal BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine.—
Melanie Radzicki McManus,
CNN,
7 Mar. 2025
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Investigations into the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster revealed that key decision-makers worked on little sleep, raising concerns that fatigue impaired their judgment.—
Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse,
The Conversation,
7 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Debilitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debilitate. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.
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