debilitation

[ dih-bil-i-tey-shuhn ]

noun

1. an act or instance of making a person or thing weak or feeble, often in a specific way; the resulting state of weakness:

   Death or debilitation is statistically far more likely to occur by disease or accident than by malicious action.

Other Words From

• non·de·bil·i·ta·tion noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of debilitation¹

First recorded in 1490–1500; from Latin dēbilitātiōn-, stem of dēbilitātiō; debilitate ( def ), -ion ( def )

Example Sentences

Steve Levitt talks to Kwon about his debilitating childhood anxieties, his compulsion to choose the hardest path in life, and how Kwon used his obsession with game theory to stage a come-from-behind victory on Survivor.

From Freakonomics

I’ve taken medication and worked with a therapist for debilitating obsessive-compulsive disorder, and I’m not sure if I’d be writing this article if I hadn’t.

From Outside Online

In fact, the psychological mess I was in began to cause a real physical debilitation.

From The Daily Beast

Inherited debilitation and defect are further aggravated by present-day educational methods.

From Project Gutenberg

But though bodily strength might be subdued, no mental debilitation seemed the consequence.

From Project Gutenberg

Our physique fell away, and those already reduced to weakness suffered still further debilitation.

From Project Gutenberg

The infestations observed in five-lined skinks were not sufficiently severe to cause debilitation or any noticeable symptoms.

From Project Gutenberg

Contraries, when near and militant, will be troublesome to each other, and seek each other's destruction or debilitation.

From Project Gutenberg