as in weakness
the quality or state of lacking physical strength or vigor our grandmother's debility is due in large part to her advanced age
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Recent Examples of debility His trajectory is one of softening, from the swaggering knight of the opening to the irrepressible lover of the second act to his final physical debility. —
Justin Davidson, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2026 In Will There Ever Be Another You, the main character struggles with an illness similar to long COVID, descending into a state of debility and psychosis as readers experience the chaos of her unraveling life. —Brittney Melton, NPR, 26 Sep. 2025 The shadow of death and debility haunted American women throughout the nineteenth century. —Jenny Noyce, JSTOR Daily, 28 June 2024 President Biden’s troubles — lingering inflation, wars and rumors of wars, his debility — could have benefited any Republican. —David Harsanyi, National Review, 25 Jan. 2024 As with fibroids, hormonal treatments and surgical options can help, though scarring and changes in the nervous system’s threshold for perceiving pain (eventually creating the experience of pain even in the absence of a stimulus) can create long-term debilities. —Laura Kolbe, The New York Review of Books, 18 Jan. 2024 In Amy Schumer’s comedy special Emergency Contact, the comedian talks about developing hyperemesis gravidarum, a potentially life-threatening condition that causes extreme, persistent nausea and vomiting and might lead to malnutrition, dehydration, and debility. —Brianna Holt, Vogue, 7 July 2023 Given their ages and debilities, these soldiers had been deemed unfit for active service. —David Grann, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2023 The Covid-19 pandemic has driven widespread debility, whether a result of distress or the virus itself, compounded in either case by political abandonment and public health failures. —Natalie Shure, The New Republic, 8 Dec. 2022
Justin Davidson, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2026 In Will There Ever Be Another You, the main character struggles with an illness similar to long COVID, descending into a state of debility and psychosis as readers experience the chaos of her unraveling life. —Brittney Melton, NPR, 26 Sep. 2025 The shadow of death and debility haunted American women throughout the nineteenth century. —Jenny Noyce, JSTOR Daily, 28 June 2024 President Biden’s troubles — lingering inflation, wars and rumors of wars, his debility — could have benefited any Republican. —David Harsanyi, National Review, 25 Jan. 2024 As with fibroids, hormonal treatments and surgical options can help, though scarring and changes in the nervous system’s threshold for perceiving pain (eventually creating the experience of pain even in the absence of a stimulus) can create long-term debilities. —Laura Kolbe, The New York Review of Books, 18 Jan. 2024 In Amy Schumer’s comedy special Emergency Contact, the comedian talks about developing hyperemesis gravidarum, a potentially life-threatening condition that causes extreme, persistent nausea and vomiting and might lead to malnutrition, dehydration, and debility. —Brianna Holt, Vogue, 7 July 2023 Given their ages and debilities, these soldiers had been deemed unfit for active service. —David Grann, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2023 The Covid-19 pandemic has driven widespread debility, whether a result of distress or the virus itself, compounded in either case by political abandonment and public health failures. —Natalie Shure, The New Republic, 8 Dec. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debility
Noun
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Symptoms depend on the patient, but MS can cause muscle weakness, vision changes, walking problems, numbness, and more.— Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 21 Apr. 2026
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Verdad Advisers Dan Rasmussen Additionally, a deeper concern for investors is that the current episode is exposing structural weaknesses in the private market model itself.— Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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When John begins spitting out his food, his mother, Heather (Shirley Henderson), worn down by exhaustion and anger, banishes him from the dinner table—the first in an unceasing series of maternal rejections.— Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026
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Sepideh Moafi is incredible in this scene, perfectly hitting every note of the anger, fear, and exhaustion Al-Hashimi is feeling.— Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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When Elias Manolis started experiencing extreme fatigue early last year, his parents were alarmed, but not surprised.— Kerry Breen, CBS News, 25 Apr. 2026
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Pain, fatigue, medication schedules, and appointments start to shape everything.— Ana Jarzin, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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As Kasubhai observed, despite its legal feebleness, Kennedy’s declaration and its explicit threat has had a concrete impact on the provision of gender-affirming services to American youths.— Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
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Signs of disease include warts on legs, crusty or swollen eyes, feebleness, a ruffled appearance, difficulty breathing, nasal discharge, and diarrhea.— Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Nobody wants to watch a loved one endure the pain, debilitation, and loss of independence that can follow a serious fall.— Brian Frost, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2026
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In New Jersey, lawmakers are considering a bill to amend a state law that allows parents to nominate standby, or temporary, guardians in the cases of death, incapacity, or debilitation.— CNN Money, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Debility.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/debility. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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