Synonyms

debilitate

American

[dih-bil-i-teyt] / dɪˈbɪl ɪˌteɪt /

verb (used with object)

debilitated, debilitating

to make weak or feeble; enfeeble.

The siege of pneumonia debilitated her completely.

Synonyms:

devitalize, enervate, deplete, weaken

debilitate British

/ dɪˈbɪlɪˌteɪt /

verb

(tr) to make feeble; weaken

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

debilitant noun
debilitation noun
debilitative adjective
nondebilitating adjective
nondebilitative adjective
overdebilitate verb (used with object)
undebilitated adjective
undebilitating adjective
undebilitative adjective

Etymology

Origin of debilitate

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin dēbilitātus (past participle of dēbilitāre ), equivalent to dēbilit-, stem of dēbilis “weak” + -ātus -ate ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"Gynae issues and especially endometriosis is just not prioritised - it is debilitating and life changing but just not taken seriously by the health service."

From BBC

When severe enough, neuropathy can be debilitating and force oncologists to lower the dosage of chemotherapy.

From The Wall Street Journal

After a debilitating knee injury early in the 2011 season, he was never the same player, and he had short stints with Tampa Bay and Jacksonville before retiring.

From Los Angeles Times

In the meantime, she was becoming more debilitated.

From BBC

While the medical establishment has mostly maintained that gabapentin isn’t habit-forming, some patients have reported debilitating adverse effects when they try to taper off it.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023