debilitate

verb de·bil·i·tate \ di-ˈbi-lə-ˌtāt , dē- \

Updated on: 28 Nov 2017

Definition of debilitate

debilitated; debilitating

transitive verb

: to impair the strength of : enfeeble

sailors debilitated by scurvy

an economy debilitated by years of civil war

—

debilitation

play \-ˌbi-lə-ˈtā-shən\ noun

See debilitate defined for English-language learners

See debilitate defined for kids

Examples of debilitate in a Sentence

The virus debilitates the body's immune system.
the heart surgery debilitated the college athlete beyond his worst fears

Recent Examples of debilitate from the Web

Then, in 2004, John Janda had a mild heart attack followed by bouts of debilitating anxiety, pain and sensitivity to noise.

— jonel aleccia, Kaiser Health News, "A Rare Dementia Gene Runs In The Family, But He’s Fine — So Far," 11 Sep. 2017
And as with babies one and two, the mom-to-be is again suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, a severe form of morning sickness that causes debilitating nausea and vomiting.

— Health.com, "Kate Middleton Has Severe Morning Sickness Again. Here's What the Next Few Months Might Look Like for Her," 5 Sep. 2017
Then, in 2004, John Janda had a mild heart attack followed by bouts of debilitating anxiety, pain and sensitivity to noise.

— jonel aleccia, The Seattle Times, "Dementia gene runs in this Washington family, but he’s fine — so far," 4 Sep. 2017
In the danger zone, fatal or permanently debilitating heatstroke is possible.

— william langewiesche, The Hive, "How Extreme Heat Could Leave Swaths of the Planet Uninhabitable," 22 Aug. 2017
Without adequate support, survivors are at risk of suffering debilitating mental-health challenges and dropping out of school.

— joe biden, Marie Claire, ""I Was Heartbroken": Joe Biden Pens a Moving Essay About His Fight to End Sexual Assault on Campus," 25 Sep. 2017
Then, in 2004, John Janda had a mild heart attack followed by bouts of debilitating anxiety, pain and sensitivity to noise.

— jonel aleccia, Kaiser Health News, "A Rare Dementia Gene Runs In The Family, But He’s Fine — So Far," 11 Sep. 2017
While the idea seems a little crazy, people who suffer from debilitating gastrointestinal infections can often be helped by the introduction of a healthy person’s fecal matter into their gut.

— emily price, Fortune, "PETA Thinks Vegan Poop Could Help Save Lives," 7 Sep. 2017
Now, in a new book called Hemingway's Brain, North Carolina psychiatrist Andrew Farah asserts that these debilitating plane crashes caused what were merely the last in a series of concussions the author received during his turbulent life.

— ben panko, Smithsonian, "Multiple Concussions May Have Sped Hemingway’s Demise, a Psychiatrist Argues," 25 Apr. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'debilitate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of debilitate

Latin debilitatus, past participle of debilitare to weaken, from debilis weak

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1533

See Words from the same year

debilitate Synonyms

Synonyms

weaken, devitalize, enervate, enfeeble, etiolate, prostrate, sap, soften, tire, waste

Antonyms

beef (up), fortify, strengthen

Related Words

cripple, disable, hamstring, incapacitate; deplete, depress, exhaust, impoverish, unman, wash out; damage, harm, hurt, impair, injure, invalid, lay up; break down, grind (down), wear down, wear out; paralyze

Near Antonyms

energize, invigorate, recruit, rejuvenate, vitalize; harden, season, toughen

Synonym Discussion of debilitate

weaken, enfeeble, debilitate, undermine, sap, cripple, disable mean to lose or cause to lose strength or vigor. weaken may imply loss of physical strength, health, soundness, or stability or of quality, intensity, or effective power.

- a disease that weakens the body's defenses

enfeeble implies a condition of marked weakness and helplessness.

- enfeebled by starvation

debilitate suggests a less marked or more temporary impairment of strength or vitality.

- the debilitating effects of surgery

undermine and sap suggest a weakening by something working surreptitiously and insidiously.

- a poor diet undermines your health
- drugs had sapped his ability to think

cripple implies causing a serious loss of functioning power through damaging or removing an essential part or element.

- crippled by arthritis

disable suggests bringing about impairment or limitation in a physical or mental ability.

- disabled by an injury sustained at work

DEBILITATE Defined for English Language Learners

debilitate

verb

Definition of debilitate for English Language Learners

: to make (someone or something) weak : to reduce the strength of (someone or something)

DEBILITATE Defined for Kids

debilitate

verb de·bil·i·tate \ di-ˈbi-lə-ˌtāt \

Definition of debilitate for Students

debilitated; debilitating

: to make feeble : weaken

a debilitating disease

Medical Dictionary

debilitate

transitive verb de·bil·i·tate \ di-ˈbil-ə-ˌtāt \

medical Definition of debilitate

debilitated; debilitating

: to impair the strength of

a body debilitated by disease

—

debilitation

play \-ˌbil-ə-ˈtā-shən\ noun

Learn More about debilitate

See words that rhyme with debilitate Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for debilitate Spanish Central: Translation of debilitate Nglish: Translation of debilitate for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of debilitate for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up debilitate? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

debilitate

Definition of debilitate

debilitation

Explore Merriam-Webster

Examples of debilitate in a Sentence

Recent Examples of debilitate from the Web

Origin and Etymology of debilitate

debilitate Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

Synonym Discussion of debilitate

DEBILITATE Defined for English Language Learners

debilitate

Definition of debilitate for English Language Learners

DEBILITATE Defined for Kids

debilitate

Definition of debilitate for Students

Medical Dictionary

debilitate

medical Definition of debilitate

debilitation

Learn More about debilitate

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

Trending: Franks Resigns Amid 'Surrogacy' Scandal

'Wreck' and 'Reckless': Accidents Happen

Intact Latin Quiz

It's a Living: Last Names That Started as Jobs

Words of the Year: 1066