debilitating
Britishadjective
Explanation
Something that's debilitating seriously affects someone or something's strength or ability to carry on with regular activities, like a debilitating illness. Debilitating comes from the Latin word debilis, meaning "weak." That's why you'll often see the adjective used to describe illness. After all, serious diseases weaken the body. Other things that can be debilitating are those that can stop you from reaching a goal, like a debilitating snow storm that forces you to stay home, or debilitating shyness that keeps you from reaching out to the people you want to meet.
Vocabulary lists containing debilitating
This Week in Words: February 5 - 9, 2018
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Feeling Faint: Synonyms for "Weak"
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Scythe
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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.
"As an interventional cardiologist, who treats patients with coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure on a daily basis, I would love to have another therapy to improve patient outcomes and reduce debilitating symptoms."
From Science Daily • May 5, 2026
Many people who developed shopping addictions have lost tens or hundreds of thousands of pounds, all while living with debilitating conditions.
From BBC • May 1, 2026
There are so few depictions of Tourette syndrome in the media as it is, and even fewer that accurately render the potentially debilitating complications of coprolalia.
From Salon • Apr. 26, 2026
She maintained a punishing schedule into her late 70s, until a debilitating stroke left her confined to her home, with Rogers running the company.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026
As I help him up, I become aware of something scarier than the blisters, more debilitating than the burns.
From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
