debilitating

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "debilitating" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something or someone that is making a situation or person weaker or less effective. For example: "The debilitating effects of the disease had left her feeling too weak to do basic tasks."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

For the past couple of months, unequivocal Brownites have been frustrated by the knowledge that the Prime Minister's ideas are being obscured, temporarily, by events and, in the longer term, by debilitating caution.

The Guardian - Opinion

Exposure to loud sounds can result in temporary or severe hearing loss, and often leads to debilitating conditions like tinnitus – a ringing or buzzing in the ear that can last for days, years, or even decades.

The Guardian

As it was, it was just an opportunity for a discussion of Kim's love of cheese and whether it had contributed to what may have been debilitating gout.

The Guardian

We don't want to shut up until everyone understands that this is not a lifestyle choice or a niche thing that happens to a few wretched people in our midst but a very real, ubiquitous, debilitating, paralysing, often lethal illness that we should address and treat, not punish and marginalise.

The Guardian - Opinion

These anaemic girls face debilitating exhaustion.

The Guardian

Given the mindless prestige our patriotic culture places on military service and the "grand American spectacle" of war, it's hard to see a poor 18-year-old's choice to join the Army, and to take on the very real risk of death and serious, debilitating injury, as a full-fledged, free choice.

The Economist

Mostly, I'd just retreat to a room and not leave".Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is the persistence of debilitating psychological symptoms.

The Economist

Good riddance Protect and survive Spam in the fridge The Richard Casement internship Reprints Related topics Biology Southern Sudan Guinea Contagious and infectious diseases Health and fitnessDracunculiasis is rarely fatal, but it is debilitating.

The Economist

At the most recent elections, in 1999, participation was down to 49.4%.The sense that ordinary Europeans are disengaging from the parliament is debilitating for an institution that already stands accused of corruption and irrelevance.

The Economist

Klee then became ill with scleroderma, a fatally debilitating autoimmune disease.

The Economist

From the outset, Americans believed that equality of opportunity gave them an edge over the Old World, freeing them from debilitating snobberies and at the same time enabling everyone to benefit from the abilities of the entire population.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "debilitating" to describe conditions or factors that significantly impair function or strength, such as "a debilitating illness" or "debilitating economic policies".

Common error

Avoid using "debilitating" to describe minor inconveniences or temporary discomfort. Reserve it for situations that genuinely cause significant impairment.

Linguistic Context

The adjective "debilitating" functions primarily to modify nouns, describing something that causes weakness or impairment. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and commonly used to highlight a significant reduction in strength or effectiveness. The examples from Ludwig illustrate its use in contexts ranging from health to economics.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

64%

Science

18%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "debilitating" is a versatile adjective used to describe something that significantly weakens or impairs. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness, and examples from Ludwig show that it is most frequently used in news and media, followed by science. When writing, it’s best to reserve "debilitating" for situations involving genuine and considerable impairment rather than minor inconveniences. Consider alternatives like "enervating" or "crippling" depending on the intended nuance. Remember to use "debilitating" to express a serious reduction in strength or effectiveness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

enervating

Focuses more on the reduction of mental or nervous energy, implying a gradual weakening.

crippling

Emphasizes severe limitation or disablement, often physically.

weakening

A more general term for reducing strength or effectiveness.

draining

Highlights the depletion of resources or energy.

exhausting

Focuses on causing extreme tiredness or fatigue.

incapacitating

Specifically refers to making someone unable to function normally.

paralyzing

Implies a complete inability to act or function.

undermining

Suggests a gradual weakening of something's foundation or effectiveness.

attenuating

Indicates a reduction in force, effect or value.

corrosive

Implies a gradual and destructive effect, like erosion.

FAQs

How is "debilitating" typically used in a sentence?

The word "debilitating" is often used to describe conditions or effects that significantly weaken or impair someone or something. For instance, you might say "a debilitating disease" or "debilitating economic sanctions".

What are some alternatives to using "debilitating"?

Depending on the specific context, you could use alternatives like "enervating", "crippling", or "weakening".

Is it correct to say something is "slightly debilitating"?

While grammatically correct, saying something is "slightly debilitating" might sound odd. The term generally implies a significant reduction in strength or function, so using it with "slightly" can create a contradiction. Consider alternatives like "somewhat weakening".

What's the difference between "debilitating" and "disabling"?

"Debilitating" refers to something that weakens or impairs, while "disabling" refers to something that prevents someone from doing something. A "debilitating condition" might make it difficult to perform tasks, while a "disabling condition" prevents you from performing such tasks altogether.