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doddered

doddered

9.1
Weak and unsteady because of old age
  • adjective
  • /ˈdɒdərd/
translation icon : debilitado
  • The doddered old man leaned heavily on his cane as he walked slowly through the park.

Examples

  • She cared for her doddered grandfather with patience and love.

  • The doddered old man needed assistance to cross the street.

  • The doddered gentleman needed help crossing the busy street.

  • A doddered tree stood alone, its branches twisted with age.

  • She saw a doddered woman sitting on the bench.

  • She often visited her doddered father, who struggled to remember things due to his age.

  • The doddered woman smiled gently as she shared stories from her youth with her grandchildren.

Synonyms

decrepit
vsdoddered
9 7.0

A living thing that is very weak and thin from old age or long illness

focuses on unsteadiness rather than overall worn condition
rickety
vsdoddered
2 7.0

Physically weak, often with shaky or bent legs

is broader and stresses unsteady whole-body movement from age
debilitated
vsdoddered
1 7.0

Very weak and lacking energy because of illness or injury

is instead tied to old age as the main cause of frailty
doddering
vsdoddered
1 8.2

Weak and unsteady because of old age, often moving slowly

is the simple descriptor for age-related physical weakness and unsteadiness
tottery
vsdoddered
1 8.4

Unsteady and shaky because of weakness or old age

covers general physical weakness beyond just shaky stance
doddery
vsdoddered
8.9

Being weak, unsteady, or slow in thinking because of old age

focuses on physical decline without implying mental impairment
tottering
vsdoddered
6.0

Unsteady and moving because of weakness or old age

refers more generally to overall weakness and lack of steadiness
debile
vsdoddered
  • Archaic
9.9

Weak in the body and having little strength

is more specific to age-related unsteadiness rather than general weakness
weak-kneed
vsdoddered
  • Informal
7.0

Feeling weak and unsteady after strong feelings or hard physical work

is physical frailty due to age, not emotional weakness or nervousness

Antonyms

1.0

Having great physical power or being solid enough to resist force

How Frail

decrepit
9 7.0
infirm
  • Formal
9 6.1
doddered
9.1
weak
524 1.0
unsteady
16 3.3

Surface Forms

doddered positive

Morphology

doddered = dodder (transparent) = dodder + ed

Adjectival/past-participle formation from the verb 'dodder' meaning 'to tremble/totter', so the adjectival meaning 'physically weak and unsteady' is directly derived.

Etymology

Doddered comes from the old verb dodder, which meant 'to shake' or 'tremble'. So, a doddered person is shaky and moves in an unsteady, weak way, often because they are very old.