DEBILITATION Synonyms: 93 Similar and Opposite Words

debilitation

noun

Definition of debilitation

as in deterioration

a gradual sinking and wasting away of mind or body the debilitation that all the prisoners of war had experienced during their captivity

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in weakness

the quality or state of lacking physical strength or vigor attributed the patient's general debilitation to an iron deficiency

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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 debilitation The cases were said to be in people with significant underlying health conditions, including organ and immune system dysfunction, as well as debilitation. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 9 June 2026 Nobody wants to watch a loved one endure the pain, debilitation, and loss of independence that can follow a serious fall. — Brian Frost, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2026 In New Jersey, lawmakers are considering a bill to amend a state law that allows parents to nominate standby, or temporary, guardians in the cases of death, incapacity, or debilitation. — CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2026 Those citing such ominous scenarios envisioned other possible dangers, including the debilitation of America’s security guarantees to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf oil exporters. — Paul Blustein, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for debilitation

Noun

Unlike Netflix, Disney is wrestling with the ongoing deterioration of linear TV.

— Todd Spangler, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
That creates a different situation when a condition begins with something a resident or guest did rather than deterioration of the building or a maintenance issue.

— Emma Clapp, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of deterioration

Noun

Every monster has unique strengths and weaknesses, and each demands a different response.

— Jeff DeGraff, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
As rules and institutions constrain less and brute power matters more, countries will seek partners to help them blunt sanctions, access critical technologies, compensate for military weaknesses, expand their room for maneuver, and resist isolation.

— Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of weakness

Noun

The hurricane center said the storm's intensity could fluctuate over the next few days but would likely maintain hurricane strength through Thursday, with gradual weakening forecast thereafter.

— CBS News, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
The networks learn to recognize patterns by strengthening and weakening connections between nodes in response to training data.

— Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of weakening

Noun

Abrams does yeoman’s work with a character stuck in a tight spot for most of the running time, constantly grunting and gasping with a mixture of anguish and exhaustion as his body gets progressively more beat up and broken.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026
Tina testified for an hour before fainting from exhaustion, returning later that day for a second round of questioning.

— Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of exhaustion

Noun

In recent years, white supremacists have embraced the concept of lactose intolerance as a distinguishing debility of nonwhite people.

— Hilary Smith, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026
And, when pets suffered from cancer or heart failure or debility, conversations about what to do next were emotional but often straightforward.

— Sunita Puri, New Yorker, 6 June 2026

Definition of debility

Noun

Injuries and fatigue hollowed out a once-dominant roster, with Shohei Ohtani’s decision to keep pitching through pain leaving the team without its most potent hitter in October.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Chen advised supervisors facing decision fatigue to review shots within their sequences rather than obsess over individual frames.

— Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of fatigue

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debilitating

debilitation

debility

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Style

“Debilitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debilitation. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of debilitation

noun

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