debilitate

verb

de·​bil·​i·​tate di-ˈbi-lə-ˌtāt 

dē-

debilitated; debilitating

transitive verb

: to impair the strength of : enfeeble

sailors debilitated by scurvy

an economy debilitated by years of civil war

debilitation

di-ˌbi-lə-ˈtā-shən 

dē-

noun

Did you know?

Debilitate, enfeeble, undermine, and sap all share the general sense "to weaken." But while debilitate holds the distinction among these words of coming from the Latin word for "weak"—debilis—it packs a potent punch. Often used of disease or something that strikes like a disease or illness, debilitate might suggest a temporary impairment—but a pervasive one at that. Enfeeble, a very close synonym of debilitate, connotes a pitiable, but often reversible, condition of weakness and helplessness. Undermine and sap suggest a weakening by something working surreptitiously and insidiously.

Synonyms

• devitalize
• enervate
• enfeeble
• etiolate
• prostrate
• sap
• soften
• tire
• waste
• weaken

Choose the Right Synonym for debilitate

weaken, enfeeble, debilitate, undermine, sap, disable mean to lose or cause to lose strength or vigor.

weaken may imply loss of physical strength, health, soundness, or stability or of quality, intensity, or effective power.

a disease that weakens the body's defenses

enfeeble implies a condition of marked weakness and helplessness.

enfeebled by starvation

debilitate suggests a less marked or more temporary impairment of strength or vitality.

the debilitating effects of surgery

undermine and sap suggest a weakening by something working surreptitiously and insidiously.

a poor diet undermines your health

drugs had sapped his ability to think

disable suggests bringing about impairment or limitation in a physical or mental ability.

disabled by an injury sustained at work

Examples of debilitate in a Sentence

The virus debilitates the body's immune system.

the heart surgery debilitated the college athlete beyond his worst fears

Recent Examples on the Web

The idea is to tap into the brain’s circuits so depressive signals and pathways don’t spiral into the debilitating emotional episodes typical of clinical depression. —Alice Park, TIME, 24 Oct. 2024

But for those who experience fewer or less debilitating side effects, the longer-term relief can be well worth it. —Erica Sloan, SELF, 24 Oct. 2024

None seems to be worse off than Randall (Sterling K. Brown), who suffers from debilitating anxiety in the lead-up to the birth of his first child. —Nicole Briese, People.com, 22 Oct. 2024

Huebner regularly supports patients with debilitating trauma and other behavioral health conditions through the process of making claims for short- and long-term disability coverage, Social Security Disability Insurance payments, and worker's compensation. —Natalie Eilbert, Journal Sentinel, 2 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin debilitatus, past participle of debilitare to weaken, from debilis weak

First Known Use

1533, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

debilitate

verb

de·​bil·​i·​tate di-ˈbil-ə-ˌtāt 

debilitated; debilitating

: to reduce the strength of : weaken

debilitation

-ˌbil-ə-ˈtā-shən 

noun

Medical Definition

debilitate

transitive verb

de·​bil·​i·​tate di-ˈbil-ə-ˌtāt 

debilitated; debilitating

: to impair the strength of

a body debilitated by disease

debilitation

-ˌbil-ə-ˈtā-shən 

noun