Debilitate

Debilitate is a verb that means to weaken someone or something, reducing strength, vigor, or effectiveness. It can refer to physical weakness resulting from illness, injury, or exhaustion, as well as to mental, emotional, or operational diminished capacity. The related noun is debility, describing a state of weakened strength, and the adjective debilitating describes factors or conditions that cause such weakness.

Etymology and usage: Debilitate originates from Latin debilitas, from debilis meaning weak. In medical language, debility denotes a general state of weakness rather than a specific diagnosed disease, while in everyday speech it can describe a wide range of weakening effects. Examples include: “The long illness debilitated her,” “The drought debilitated the crops,” and “Chronic fatigue is a debilitating condition.”

Context and nuance: The term often implies gradual or cumulative loss of strength, rather than a single event. It can be used to describe impacts on individuals, communities, systems, or processes. Debilitation can be temporary or prolonged, depending on the underlying cause and the effectiveness of intervention or recovery.

See also: related terms include weaken, enfeeble, impair, sap, and fatigue. Antonyms include strengthen, fortify, and invigorate. In medical contexts, debility is contrasted with specific diagnoses, serving as a broad descriptor of overall frailty rather than a pinpoint condition.