enfeeble

verb

en·​fee·​ble in-ˈfē-bəl How to pronounce enfeeble (audio)
en-
enfeebled; enfeebling in-ˈfē-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce enfeeble (audio)
en-
Synonyms of enfeeblenext

transitive verb

: to make feeble : deprive of strength
enfeeblement
in-ˈfē-bəl-mənt How to pronounce enfeeble (audio)
en-
noun

Synonyms

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Choose the Right Synonym for enfeeble

weaken, enfeeble, debilitate, undermine, sap, 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

disable suggests bringing about impairment or limitation in a physical or mental ability.

disabled by an injury sustained at work

Examples of enfeeble in a Sentence

long periods of being confined to a hospital bed will enfeeble anyone
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
To gain the gavel, McCarthy had to make a series of humiliating, enfeebling concessions to his far-right flank that more or less disempowered him. — Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 28 Apr. 2023 Decades of mass incarceration have resulted in a prison population growing older and more enfeebled, and has introduced the challenge of reintegrating people coming out after long sentences, often with few skills, into a society that technology has made alienatingly unfamiliar. — Ginia Bellafante, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Middle English enfeblen, from Anglo-French enfebler, enfeblir, from en- + feble feeble

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of enfeeble was in the 14th century

Rhymes for enfeeble

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Browse Nearby Words

enfatico
enfeeble
enfeebler
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Cite this Entry

“Enfeeble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enfeeble. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

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Kids Definition

enfeeble

verb
en·​fee·​ble in-ˈfē-bəl How to pronounce enfeeble (audio)
enfeebled; enfeebling -b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce enfeeble (audio)
: to make feeble

More from Merriam-Webster on enfeeble

Nglish: Translation of enfeeble for Spanish Speakers

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