Debilitate Definition in a Sentence
de·bil·i·tate | \ di-ˈbi-lə-ˌtāt 
, dē- \
debilitated ; debilitating
Definition of debilitate
transitive verb
: to impair the strength of : enfeeble sailors debilitated by scurvy an economy debilitated by years of civil war
Other Words from debilitate
debilitation \ di-ˌbi-lə-ˈtā-shən , dē- \ noun
Synonyms & Antonyms for debilitate
Synonyms
- devitalize ,
- enervate ,
- enfeeble ,
- etiolate ,
- prostrate ,
- sap ,
- soften ,
- tire ,
- waste ,
- weaken
Antonyms
- beef (up) ,
- fortify ,
- strengthen
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Choose the Right Synonym for 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
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 on the Web Republicans view the Democrats' legislative plans as an overreach of excess spending and have accused Mr. Biden of careening from one crisis to another, saying both will debilitate the party's midterm message next year. — Ken Thomas, WSJ, 1 Oct. 2021 The flu does not knock you down and debilitate you like COVID-19. — Claire Thornton, USA TODAY, 8 Aug. 2021 The absence of strong copyright laws continues to debilitate Cambodian cinema. — BostonGlobe.com, 22 Apr. 2021 Prodigious force is required to propel the 245-pound Texas senior skyward, and that sort of strain and joint load can debilitate over time. — Nick Moyle, ExpressNews.com, 13 Nov. 2020 Seizing the moment to debilitate Hezbollah would be a huge step forward for maximum pressure. — Carine Hajjar, National Review, 22 Aug. 2020 The year after having my daughter, debilitating anxiety came out of the blue. — Health.com, 28 May 2020 If Kim were to be debilitated, the biggest immediate question mark surrounds succession. — Iain Marlow, Bloomberg.com, 10 May 2020 Neurology nurses and physician assistants learned to give care beyond their training, tending to people debilitated by a disease still not fully understood. — Sarah Feldberg, SFChronicle.com, 14 May 2020
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.
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First Known Use of debilitate
1533, in the meaning defined above
History and Etymology for debilitate
Latin debilitatus, past participle of debilitare to weaken, from debilis weak
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Statistics for debilitate
Cite this Entry
"Debilitate." Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/debilitate. Accessed 8 Dec. 2021.
More Definitions for debilitate
de·bil·i·tate | \ di-ˈbi-lə-ˌtāt \
debilitated ; debilitating
Kids Definition of debilitate
: to make feeble : weaken a debilitating disease
debilitate
transitive verb
de·bil·i·tate | \ di-ˈbil-ə-ˌtāt \
debilitated ; debilitating
Medical Definition of debilitate
: to impair the strength of a body debilitated by disease
Other Words from debilitate
debilitation \ -ˌbil-ə-ˈtā-shən \ noun
Debilitate Definition in a Sentence
Source: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/debilitate