debilitate

[dih-bil-i-teyt]

verb (used with object)

debilitated, debilitating 

1. to make weak or feeble; enfeeble.

   The siege of pneumonia debilitated her completely.

   Synonyms: devitalize, enervate, deplete, weaken

debilitate

/ dɪˈbɪlɪˌteɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to make feeble; weaken

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of debilitate¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of debilitate¹

C16: from Latin dēbilitāre, from dēbilis weak

Example Sentences

“The Dream” also explores her complicated relationship to death following that debilitating bus accident, one of her signature themes.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The prime minister has made much of his background, repeatedly mentioning in speeches his father was a toolmaker and his mother a nurse, who suffered from a debilitating form of arthritis known as Still's disease.

Read more on BBC

Jaguar Land Rover said Friday it swung to a quarterly loss of almost $750 million after stopping its assembly lines in September to manage a debilitating hack.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

This time round she knew she was at risk of PGP and was able to have it treated throughout her pregnancy before it became debilitating.

Read more on BBC

Unless something is done about it, today’s children will live shorter lives, with more debilitating health challenges, than their parents.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• attenuate 
• cripple 
• disable 
• eviscerate