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GRE vocabulary

debilitate

verbHigh-frequency wordMore D words

to weaken or sap the strength of

Word origin: From Latin debilis, weak.

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In a sentence

Debilitate in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing debilitate in a sentence.

The chronic illness debilitated him until he could barely walk.

The prolonged drought debilitated an economy already strained by years of mismanagement.

Synonyms
weakenenfeeblesap
Antonyms

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Verbal · Sentence Equivalence

The treaty was hailed as a triumph of diplomacy, yet historians now regard its terms as blank, since they merely postponed the conflicts they claimed to resolve.

Select the two answers that give the sentence the same meaning. 0 of 2 selected.

Usage & nuance

Using “debilitate” well

Debilitate means to sap strength or vitality and pairs with enfeeble and weaken. It often describes illness or sustained hardship rather than a single sharp blow.

Common questions

Questions about “debilitate”

Debilitate (verb) means to weaken or sap the strength of
Here is debilitate used in an example sentence: "The chronic illness debilitated him until he could barely walk." Another example: "The prolonged drought debilitated an economy already strained by years of mismanagement."
Common synonyms for debilitate include weaken, enfeeble, sap.
Antonyms of debilitate include strengthen, invigorate, fortify.
Clusters with weaken, enfeeble, and sap in Sentence Equivalence. Antonyms strengthen, invigorate, and fortify describe restoring or building up vigor.
Yes. Debilitate is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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