as in to weaken
to diminish the physical strength of
the heart surgery debilitated the college athlete beyond his worst fears
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of debilitate
Gloria L. Huang, People.com, 7 Jan. 2025
Mangione reportedly suffered from debilitating back pain and underwent surgery to treat it in recent years.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 16 Dec. 2024
And while Mangione, like millions of people, apparently suffered from debilitating back pain, excellent health care is not generally an issue for Americans of great wealth.
—Bret Stephens, The Mercury News, 14 Dec. 2024
Since then, more information has emerged about a young man from a well-to-do Baltimore family who appeared to suffer from debilitating back pain and suddenly disappeared about six months ago.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 9 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for debilitate 
Verb
While juvenile anxiety in all its forms, from mild worry to debilitating panic attacks, has historically not always been something that was openly discussed or publicly accepted in everyday life, its presence in art has followed a different trajectory.
—Gloria L. Huang, People.com, 7 Jan. 2025
Mangione reportedly suffered from debilitating back pain and underwent surgery to treat it in recent years.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 16 Dec. 2024
And while Mangione, like millions of people, apparently suffered from debilitating back pain, excellent health care is not generally an issue for Americans of great wealth.
—Bret Stephens, The Mercury News, 14 Dec. 2024
Since then, more information has emerged about a young man from a well-to-do Baltimore family who appeared to suffer from debilitating back pain and suddenly disappeared about six months ago.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 9 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for debilitate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debilitate
Verb
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Elon Musk, one of Trump’s confidants, has already met with Iran’s UN ambassador; now that Israel has weakened Tehran and pummeled its proxies in the Middle East, a diplomatic breakthrough may be achievable.Charles A. Kupchan, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025
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The widening yield differentials between Chinese and U.S. sovereign bonds could risk encouraging capital outflows and put further pressure on the yuan that has been weakening against the greenback.Anniek Bao, CNBC, 10 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Algorithms are used to predict patients' risk of death or deterioration, to suggest diagnoses or triage patients, to record and summarize visits to save doctors work, and to approve insurance claims.Darius Tahir | KFF Health News, ABC News, 10 Jan. 2025
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The measures, which include banning the maintenance of the aircraft and the supply of new planes, are likely to continue the deterioration of Russia's aviation industry.Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
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More news: Dodgers to Sign Asian Star to 3-Year Contract For teams trying to upgrade a position of weakness on a budget, Moncada could represent a high-upside play on a short-term contract.Newsweek, Newsweek, 5 Jan. 2025
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Several stocks are primed for a bounce after recent weakness at the turn of the new year.Pia Singh, CNBC, 4 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Conservators applied solvent gel to soften the paint before carefully shaving away the layers using plastic scrapers.Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
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The persistence of high mortgage rates will put some downward pressure on prices, since demand will soften as many consumers forego expensive loans, experts said, but the high rates will also exacerbate a lack of supply that has kept prices soaring.Max Zahn, ABC News, 31 Dec. 2024
Noun
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This led many to assume that the Swedish DJ’s previous health struggles — including acute pancreatitis, gallbladder and appendix surgery, alcohol abuse and exhaustion — were to blame.Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 31 Dec. 2024
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Finally, working from home can lead to stress and exhaustion.Erik Pham, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
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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Image In some places, the border is marked with concrete barriers manned by Russians in fatigues.Andrew Higgins, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2025
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Excessive loss of fluids can lead to dehydration and contribute to symptoms like thirst, fatigue, and headache.Rosanna Sutherby, PharmD, Verywell Health, 3 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near debilitate
Cite this Entry
“Debilitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debilitate. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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