enfeebling 1 of 2

adjective

as in debilitating

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enfeebling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of enfeeble
as in weakening
to diminish the physical strength of long periods of being confined to a hospital bed will enfeeble anyone

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of enfeebling
Verb
In Church’s day, that separation depended on promoting a robust idea of American innocence over Europe’s enfeebling corruption. — Sebastian Smee, New Yorker, 4 May 2026 If the goal instead is regime weakening—enfeebling the Islamic Republic so the Iranian public could overwhelm it—there are two ways forward. — Dennis Ross, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026 If that is the case, the economic effect will be to draw capital out of emerging market economies, enfeebling them (and their currencies and bond markets). — Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enfeebling
  1. debilitating
  2. weakening
  3. draining
  4. softening
  5. fatiguing
  6. discouraging
  7. demoralizing
  8. exhausting
Adjective
  • The illness identified as cyclosporiasis as reported can be quite debilitating.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
  • Their assets, systems and networks are considered so essential that their disruption would have a debilitating impact on national security, public safety or the economy.
    — Emil Sayegh, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
Definition of debilitating
Verb
  • Israelis across political and religious lines are worried about the weakening connection with younger Jewish Americans — who, according to a recent AP poll, tend to consider support for Israel less crucial to their Jewish identity than older adults.
    — Giovanna Dell'Orto, Fortune, 31 July 2026
  • Today, some civil-society leaders, and even figures inside the establishment itself, fret that the regime’s heavy domestic hand is not only hurting Iranians but also weakening the country’s war effort.
    — Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026
Definition of weakening
Adjective
  • Speaking of the part of van life spent behind the wheel, Volkswagen has slightly reworked the Grand California's driver-assistance suite to make driving a little less draining.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 10 July 2026
  • Others are voluntarily asking to see more patients because the most draining and time-consuming parts of their job are now handled by AI.
    — FJ Campbell, Fortune, 20 May 2026
Definition of draining
Verb
  • Lander did not feel the need to appease the Zionist mob by softening his rhetoric.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
  • The singer styled a floral tank top from Chloé with black stovepipe jeans, softening the dark wash with a touch of flower power.
    — Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 20 July 2026
Definition of softening
Adjective
  • But the most mentally fatiguing aspect, the work found, was having to constantly supervise the AI tools, with some employees overseeing multiple AI agents performing different tasks at the same time.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 12 Mar. 2026
  • My friend was in course of opening up his country house unassisted, and after a fatiguing day discovered that the only practical bed was a child’s affair— long enough but scarcely wider than a crib.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026
Definition of fatiguing
Adjective
  • Despite the discouraging landscape, recruiters and career experts say there are still ways for recent graduates to stand out.
    — Alyshia Hull, USA Today, 28 July 2026
  • Abigail Simon-Hart is all too familiar with these discouraging trends.
    — Durrie Bouscaren, NPR, 25 July 2026
Definition of discouraging
Adjective
  • The New York Mets’ big spending has backfired even more this season, though the club’s long-term picture isn’t quite as demoralizing as San Francisco’s.
    — Tim Britton, New York Times, 27 July 2026
  • The Lions would go on to suffer a demoralizing 4-1 loss to Germany that same year in a round of 16 match staged at an altitude of 4,600 feet.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of demoralizing
Adjective
  • Everything seems tiring and exhausting, especially the simplest, most mundane activities.
    — Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 26 July 2026
  • Soldiers have been called in to reinforce fire crews' exhausting round-the-clock efforts.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 July 2026
Definition of exhausting

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enfeebles
enfeebling
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Cite this Entry

“Enfeebling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enfeebling. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on enfeebling

Nglish: Translation of enfeebling for Spanish Speakers

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