- (transitive)
to make feeble; weaken
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
de•bil•i•tate /dɪˈbɪlɪˌteɪt/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object], -tat•ed, -tat•ing.
de•bil•i•ta•tion, n. [uncountable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to make (someone) weak;
deprive (someone) of strength:The hepatitis he suffered overseas debilitated him.
de•bil•i•ta•tion, n. [uncountable]
de•bil•i•tate
(di bil′i tāt′),USA pronunciation v.t., -tat•ed, -tat•ing.
de•bil′i•tant, n.
de•bil′i•ta′tion, n.
de•bil′i•ta′tive, adj.
- to make weak or feeble;
enfeeble:The siege of pneumonia debilitated her completely.
- Latin dēbilitātus (past participle of dēbilitāre), equivalent. to dēbilit-, stem of dēbilis weak + -ātus -ate1
- 1525–35
de•bil′i•ta′tion, n.
de•bil′i•ta′tive, adj.
- weaken, deplete, enervate, devitalize.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'debilitate' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):