- present participle of debilitate.
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.
Hotel spas around Southeast Asia are developing treatments to address their customers’ most frequent complaint: debilitating jet lag.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
Since then, my brother has been diagnosed with a debilitating illness that is now nearing its final stages.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026
A surge in parasitic disease cases that can cause a prolonged bout of debilitating diarrhea is prompting growing concerns from public health officials and questions from the public about the safety of fresh produce.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
"But it's still taking nine years to get a diagnosis and there's still not an acceptance of how debilitating this illness can be on women and their families."
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
After the first flush of pride in ownership, it would be exhausting and debilitating, and there would be no time for anything else.
From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas
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.
