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
Eileen Davidson, Health, 15 May 2025
Any cuts to Medicaid will be highly disruptive to the lives of children, those with debilitating illness, and to the families of elderly people receiving long term care.
—Dr. James W. Cox-Chapman, Hartford Courant, 11 May 2025
One of those deaths occurred after a rare minke whale found offshore near Emeryville was euthanized due to debilitating health issues.
—Nadia Lopez, Axios, 1 May 2025
And working to recognize the difference between debilitating struggles (such as those that led to MJ Melendez being sent to Triple-A Omaha) and staying the course because of belief or encouraging signs — as with Massey (hitting .206).
—Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for debilitate
Verb
The Pain Gets Worse During my pregnancy in 2012, the pain intensified even more, accompanied by swelling and debilitating fatigue that no amount of rest could make go away.
—Eileen Davidson, Health, 15 May 2025
Any cuts to Medicaid will be highly disruptive to the lives of children, those with debilitating illness, and to the families of elderly people receiving long term care.
—Dr. James W. Cox-Chapman, Hartford Courant, 11 May 2025
One of those deaths occurred after a rare minke whale found offshore near Emeryville was euthanized due to debilitating health issues.
—Nadia Lopez, Axios, 1 May 2025
And working to recognize the difference between debilitating struggles (such as those that led to MJ Melendez being sent to Triple-A Omaha) and staying the course because of belief or encouraging signs — as with Massey (hitting .206).
—Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for debilitate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debilitate
Verb
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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
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This includes adults who have weakened immune systems, cancer or other underlying health conditions, and some mental health conditions.—
Claire Bugos,
Verywell Health,
21 May 2025
Noun
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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
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On modern iPhones, Apple has a feature called Charge Limit that works as an opt-in feature limiting your phone to 80% charge to help reduce the deterioration of the battery.—
James Peckham,
PC Magazine,
13 May 2025
Noun
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While the dollar strengthened for the second day on Wednesday, Jefferies thinks the greenback could be in for an extended period of weakness.—
Michelle Fox,
CNBC,
28 May 2025
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One weakness in Capture One's utility as a workflow solution has been its lack of sharing to established online photo venues, but there's a ray of light on this count.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
28 May 2025
Verb
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Its rich, tinted formula softens without compromising pigment making Eadem’s Lip Softening Balm a no-fuss makeup staple that will leave you looking primped on the go and after a long day.—
Valerie Butler,
Essence,
28 May 2025
-
Within days, Wall Street firms softened their forecasts of a recession.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
27 May 2025
Noun
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When exhaustion threatened to derail my progress, focusing on just reaching the next marker renewed my determination.—
Natalie Nixon,
Flow Space,
21 May 2025
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Trade timing The timing for adding bearish exposure to DE is optimal, as the stock has reached a recent all-time high and is showing signs of exhaustion with bearish divergence on the weekly RSI.—
Tony Zhang,
CNBC,
21 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
Noun
-
Dejan Kulusevski Age: 25 Contract expires: 2028 The Sweden international was exceptional up until January when fatigue and a foot injury took their toll.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
-
Combat this fatigue with a good pair of travel shoes, such as the Atom 2 from Kuru.—
Will McGough,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Debilitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debilitate. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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