Word
debilitating
Phoneticsde·bil·i·tat·ing
US/dəˈbɪɫəˌteɪtɪŋ/
UK/dɪbˈɪlɪtˌeɪtɪŋ/
Definition
adj. making someone very weak or making it hard for them to live a normal life. It is often used to describe a serious illness or a very difficult problem.
adj. causing a loss of energy or strength; making someone or something weak or infirm. Often used to describe chronic medical conditions or systemic economic issues.
Examples
“The heat today is absolutely debilitating.”
“She suffered from a debilitating back injury that prevented her from working for several months.”
“The nation struggled to recover as the debilitating effects of the financial crisis continued to erode public trust in the banking system for over a decade.”
Examples
simple
“The heat today is absolutely debilitating.”
contextual
“She suffered from a debilitating back injury that prevented her from working for several months.”
complex
“The nation struggled to recover as the debilitating effects of the financial crisis continued to erode public trust in the banking system for over a decade.”
Usage
Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'be' or 'become', or attributively before nouns like 'illness', 'condition', or 'poverty'.
Real-World Examples
Common in health and culture writing
“Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and menopause can come with debilitating symptoms, like intense emotional changes and exhaustion.” “Live at Dingle’s 1974 (self-released) is the first official release from London folk singer Clive Woolf , whose career ended at 28 after a debilitating brain illness.”