adj
Uncommon
debilitating
dih-BIH-lih-tay-tihng
Debilitating (adj) means draining someone's strength or energy so severely that it seriously limits them. Example: “She suffers from debilitating migraines that keep her in bed for days.”
adj
1
Draining someone's strength or energy so severely that it seriously limits them.
"She suffers from debilitating migraines that keep her in bed for days."
"The injury left him with debilitating pain in his knee."
"All of which is to say – my OCD is back. For those of you who have not had the displeasure, OCD stands for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and it is an absolute arseache. Again, at best. Utterly debilitating and life-ruining at worst."
— Lucy Mangan, My OCD is back. It's exhausting and awful, but this time I'm ready (2025)
How to use debilitating
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSo weakening that it seriously affects what someone can do — usually about illness, pain, or injury.
Common pairings
debilitating pain
a debilitating illness
debilitating effects
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like debilitating.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Comparative
- more debilitating
- Superlative
- most debilitating
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She suffers from _____ migraines that keep her in bed for days.
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for debilitating
See all rhymes for debilitating →Frequently asked questions
What does “debilitating” mean?
The word “debilitating” means draining someone's strength or energy so severely that it seriously limits them. In plain terms, so weakening that it seriously affects what someone can do — usually about illness, pain, or injury.
How do you pronounce “debilitating”?
“Debilitating” is pronounced dih-BIH-lih-tay-tihng (/dɪˈbɪlɪteɪtɪŋ(ɡ)/ in IPA).
How do you use “debilitating” in a sentence?
Here is “debilitating” used in a sentence: “She suffers from debilitating migraines that keep her in bed for days.”
What part of speech is “debilitating”?
“Debilitating” is an adjective.
Is “debilitating” a common word?
“Debilitating” is an uncommon word in modern English.
