as in demoralizing
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Dissimilar Words
as in weakening
to diminish the physical strength of
the heart surgery debilitated the college athlete beyond his worst fears
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of debilitating
Kelly Ehlers, Rolling Stone, 10 Feb. 2026
However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), even mild cases of measles can be severe and debilitating.
—Doris Alvarez Cea, Florida Times-Union, 4 Feb. 2026
Jessica Firger, SELF, 23 Mar. 2026
Cuba’s leaders say the country has not received a single fuel shipment in three months, debilitating an economy that depends on oil to generate the electricity.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for debilitating
Adjective
When the cost of that effort became debilitating, vulnerability was prescribed as relief, without the transfer of any real power.
—Kelly Ehlers, Rolling Stone, 10 Feb. 2026
However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), even mild cases of measles can be severe and debilitating.
—Doris Alvarez Cea, Florida Times-Union, 4 Feb. 2026
Verb
In many ways, Applegate’s memoir is born from the reality that many people with a debilitating chronic illness face.
—Jessica Firger, SELF, 23 Mar. 2026
Cuba’s leaders say the country has not received a single fuel shipment in three months, debilitating an economy that depends on oil to generate the electricity.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for debilitating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debilitating
Adjective
-
The Heat repeatedly allowed open shots and unchallenged forays to the basket in another demoralizing and disgraceful defensive display, one made all the worse by the fact the Heat is fighting for playoff seeding.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Nothing is more demoralizing for a team trying to regain its balance than having its outcome determined by the third inning.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Seniors are the most reliable midterm voters in the country, and with the 2026 elections approaching and affordability already their top concern, weakening this program is a risk Republicans should not be taking.—
Joe Hardy,
Boston Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
-
However, rejecting the goal of citizenship verification altogether risks weakening public confidence in the system.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Long periods of socializing, like a weeklong conference, can feel far more draining than shorter events.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
28 Oct. 2025
-
By aligning strategic work with those rhythms, productivity can feel more natural and less draining.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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On the other hand, taupe bags work just as well with bold color pairings, softening them with a sense of ease.—
Minty Mellon,
Vogue,
31 Mar. 2026
-
So far lawmakers haven’t, slowing, softening and then shooting down a bipartisan measure that would have enlisted the state Department of Agriculture to take on the burgeoning pest.—
Mark Dee
March 31,
Idaho Statesman,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
But the most mentally fatiguing aspect, the work found, was having to constantly supervise the AI tools, with some employees overseeing multiple AI agents performing different tasks at the same time.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
12 Mar. 2026
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My friend was in course of opening up his country house unassisted, and after a fatiguing day discovered that the only practical bed was a child’s affair— long enough but scarcely wider than a crib.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Consideration for a draft would only begin after exhausting troops on the ground with the country's active-duty military personnel, such as full-time professional military, including National Guard and Reserves, and any volunteers or enlistees who join after the war begins.—
Isa Almeida,
Oklahoman,
25 Mar. 2026
-
In addition to exhausting reporters and scrambling the news cycle, episodes like this have fueled speculation that people close to the president are feeding off the chaos.—
Joe Wilkins,
Futurism,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Both hosts often wept as Guthrie described her emotional journey through the increasingly discouraging investigation into her mother’s whereabouts.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
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Still, the latest uptick is a discouraging sign for house hunters as the spring buying season kicks off.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
First-year manager Craig Stammen is wasting little time getting his bench players into the starting lineup.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
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Shares of Sarepta rose more than 20% in early trading Wednesday after the company presented preliminary data on a pair of treatments for rare, muscle-wasting diseases.—
Damian Garde,
STAT,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Debilitating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debilitating. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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