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

Several 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

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

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

But in his new Netflix special, What Had Happened Was (now streaming on Netflix), Foxx reveals the harrowing details of the debilitating stroke that left him on the edge of death — and his arduous road to recovery. —Krystie Lee Yandoli, Rolling Stone, 11 Dec. 2024

At the same time, his father fought to overcome the effects of a debilitating stroke. —Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024

Major depressive disorder is a debilitating disability that impacts around 5% of adults worldwide. —Anuradha Varanasi, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

Singer-songwriter Matthew Sweet suffered a debilitating stroke while on tour opening for Hanson. —Elizabeth Stanton, Fox News, 23 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1641, in the meaning defined above

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