DEBILITATED Synonyms: 118 Similar and Opposite Words

debilitated 1 of 2

adjective

as in weak

lacking bodily strength the debilitated prisoners could barely stand

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debilitated

2 of 2

verb

past tense of debilitate

as in weakened

to diminish the physical strength of the heart surgery debilitated the college athlete beyond his worst fears

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of debilitated

Verb

In gratifying the left, the Warren Court debilitated the long tradition of opposing judicial supremacy. — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 After being shocked with the glove, the officer screamed and dropped to the ground, briefly debilitated for the moment the glove made contact with his skin. — Meg Anderson, NPR, 12 Aug. 2026 In Desert Storm, the short duration of ground operations was made possible by an air campaign that debilitated Iraq’s entire military establishment. — David A. Deptula, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026 Destruction of their livelihoods and more — they are debilitated. — Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026 Israel quickly debilitated Iran’s air defenses and caused significant damage to Iran’s military and nuclear infrastructure. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026 The war, the latest and most extensive Israel offensive in the Gaza Strip, has greatly debilitated Hamas. — Foreign Correspondent, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2026 Amid an unprecedented cold snap in the Upper Florida Keys, six juvenile green sea turtles were discovered debilitated by frigid waters and are now undergoing intensive care at the Turtle Hospital in Marathon. — Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for debilitated

Adjective

The age-old advice of keeping your passwords secure and being wary of suspicious emails is more important than ever as hackers gain more sophisticated tools and use AI to find more of the internet’s weak points.

— Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026
Analysts expect profits and assets to cover the dividend through weaker timber periods.

— Sebastien Chasse, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of weak

Verb

Black voter turnout surges Another factor working in Democrats' favor this election cycle is a surge in Black turnout following a Supreme Court decision that weakened part of the Voting Rights Act.

— Stephen Fowler, NPR, 25 Oct. 2026
Conditions were expected to improve Saturday afternoon as winds weakened, with fair and dry weather forecast for the remainder of the weekend.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of weakened

Adjective

In 1937, Foyles started the Right Book Club, a rather feeble counterweight to Victor Gollancz’s Left Book Club.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
The probe’s landing gear is designed to absorb the energy of each landing to mitigate the risk of tipping over or bouncing back into space, a real concern with the feeble and uneven gravity field on Phobos.

— Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of feeble

Adjective

An individualized exercise and diet program can improve their chances of survival while on the waiting list, a study published Wednesday in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology found, with the frailest patients often benefiting the most.

— Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 22 Oct. 2026
In the novels, Violet is described as a small, frail cadet with dark black hair subtly streaked with silver who requires significantly more dragon-riding practice and precision than her peers.

— Isabelle Farina, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of frail

Verb

Trump is waging a campaign in the final moments of the midterm election to quell discontent among farmers, truckers and drivers exhausted by $4 gas and near-record diesel.

— Matt Egan, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
In an interview with the Financial Times, published today, Zelenskyy indicated his own patience had been exhausted.

— David Hickey, NBC news, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of exhausted

Adjective

Fagbemi was standing in front of his disabled vehicle looking under the hood when the driver of a tractor-trailer rear-ended the vehicle about 15 minutes later, according to police.

— Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 27 Oct. 2026
Seniors, disabled residents, and veterans may be entitled to further tax rate exemptions.

— Andis Robeznieks, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of disabled

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debilitate

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“Debilitated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debilitated. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of debilitated

adjective

verb

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