debilitating
adjective
de·bil·i·tat·ing
di-ˈbi-lə-ˌtā-tiŋ
dē-
: causing serious impairment of strength or ability to function
debilitating pain
a debilitating fear of public speaking
a debilitating illness
Thirty years have passed since a vaccine wiped out polio, but some of those who conquered the debilitating disease as children are now experiencing symptoms that seem all too familiar.—Fay Knicely
Several of these drugs are now in clinical testing to determine whether they can reduce or eliminate the debilitating nausea suffered by cancer patients on chemotherapy.—Ron Cowen
debilitatingly
adverb
Debilitatingly asthmatic as a child, Scarfe developed his talent while amusing himself and acquired the cynicism for authority that empowers his … drawings and sculpture during many frightening encounters with medical incompetence.
—Ray Olson
Did you know?
The verb debilitate (and its adjective form debilitating) comes from the Latin word for "weak," debilis. Often used of disease—as in, "the patient was debilitated"—it can also suggest something that strikes like a disease or illness, "the actor was debilitated by stage fright." In sum, the word suggests a temporary impairment or a condition of weakness and helplessness.
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Cite this Entry
“Debilitating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/debilitating. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.
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