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
Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 29 Jan. 2025
Many of those who survive experience serious, debilitating after-effects, with two-thirds of survivers facing problems with mobility and more than half experiencing some level of cognitive impairment.
—Katherine Hignett, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025
This is as well positioned as the organization has been since Teddy Bridgewater’s debilitating knee injury prior to the 2016 season.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 17 Jan. 2025
The Daher family dote on their small daughter with a debilitating skin condition, while Aboodi Ziyani, a young father, feels reinvigorated by caring for his baby son, but struggles to secure employment after serving time in prison.
—Nicolas Rapold, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for debilitate 
Verb
However, this imbalance proves debilitating in the moments the parallel stories collide, resulting in aesthetic clashes too.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 29 Jan. 2025
Many of those who survive experience serious, debilitating after-effects, with two-thirds of survivers facing problems with mobility and more than half experiencing some level of cognitive impairment.
—Katherine Hignett, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025
This is as well positioned as the organization has been since Teddy Bridgewater’s debilitating knee injury prior to the 2016 season.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 17 Jan. 2025
The Daher family dote on their small daughter with a debilitating skin condition, while Aboodi Ziyani, a young father, feels reinvigorated by caring for his baby son, but struggles to secure employment after serving time in prison.
—Nicolas Rapold, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for debilitate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debilitate
Verb
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In the bond market, Treasury yields fell after a report said sales at U.S. retailers weakened by much more last month than economists expected.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2025
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His executive order, unless reversed by the courts, will encourage greater corruption in Latin America, hurting the region’s economies, weakening democratic institutions and making countries poorer.—
Andres Oppenheimer,
Miami Herald,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
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His environmental project launched the Institute’s research via an extensive study of the relationship between business practices and environmental deterioration.—
Chris Gallagher,
USA TODAY,
14 Feb. 2025
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Shot over five tumultuous years, the film traces Noam’s journey in tandem with the region’s steady deterioration.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
10 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Sales in international markets rose 0.1%, saddled by weakness in Britain.—
Savyata Mishra,
USA TODAY,
11 Feb. 2025
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But Butler’s debut signified the Warriors’ most hopeful moment in months, an introduction of a superstar who seems to blend well into their system, helps solve their biggest weaknesses and accentuates Curry, who has been dying for a co-star for a few seasons.—
Anthony Slater,
The Athletic,
9 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The governor took pains to soften his liberal attack dog image, praising the president as a cooperative partner during crisis.—
Lia Russell,
Sacramento Bee,
8 Feb. 2025
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Add 2 tablespoons oil (3 tablespoons if not using pancetta), onion, and carrots to drippings in Dutch oven; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.—
Julia Levy,
Southern Living,
7 Feb. 2025
Noun
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But what’s catching up to us now is exhaustion and low energy.—
Brian Davids,
The Hollywood Reporter,
7 Feb. 2025
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If the stress doesn't stop, your body eventually moves into the exhaustion stage.1 Stage 3: Exhaustion Stage In the exhaustion stage, stress can lead to burnout, depression, anxiety, extreme tiredness, and a lower ability to handle stress.—
Laura Schober,
Health,
23 Jan. 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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Not the kind with sandbags and fatigues, but the kind that come with late-night rewrites, diapers, and a creative industry that treats women over 40 like yesterday’s news.—
SPIN Contributor,
SPIN,
11 Feb. 2025
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It may be accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, or profound fatigue.—
Lori B Daniels,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near debilitate
Cite this Entry
“Debilitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debilitate. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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