debilitation

American  

[dih-bil-i-tey-shuhn] / dɪˌbɪl ɪˈteɪ ʃən /

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.

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Other Word Forms

• nondebilitation
  noun

Etymology

Origin of debilitation

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

Example Sentences

Hundreds of sea turtles suffer hypothermia and severe debilitation every year in the colder waters of Cape Cod Bay in Massachusetts, as the cold-blooded reptiles are unable to regulate their body temperatures.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 15, 2024

Whereas now it is her fiancee Nat Sciver, the debilitation goes back to getting assistance from former wicketkeeper Jane Smit, who hasn't played for England for 14 years.

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2022

In the fog of his debilitation, a serious recent girlfriend left him for someone else.

From The Guardian • May 16, 2019

The debilitation of Wilson and deterioration of Nixon were behind closed doors.

From Slate • Sep. 5, 2018

Even in the grip of agonizing pain or complete debilitation, most jockeys clung to their illusion of invulnerability.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand