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to enfeeble

to enfeeble

2 8.4
To make a person or thing very weak
  • verb
  • /ɪnˈfiːbəl/
translation icon : debilitar
  • The long illness began to enfeeble him, making it difficult for him to get out of bed.

Examples

  • In his Farewell Address, George Washington warned that parties "distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration" by their "ill-founded jealousies and false alarms."

    Academic text (1992)
  • Electronic resources can enable or enfeeble inquiry, as the history of educational technology demonstrates.

    Academic text (2007)
  • American life has enfeebled his mind.

  • There was just so much recovery to be made that they were enfeebled in truth.

    Blog text (9)
  • In the 1990s, an enfeebled Russia needed help from abroad.

    Academic text (2007)
  • I do not have what it takes to care for the emotionally enfeebled.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • But with my enfeebled health, I don't know that I shall ever be able to complete it, without my assistant.

  • Responsibility shrivels the imagination and enfeebles the will.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • Meanwhile, the fractious Atlantic alliance, enfeebled by two wars and an economic crisis, is said to be fading away.

    Academic text (2010)
  • Enfeebled by the loss of those taken-for-granted capabilities, the entity was again imperiled by the invaders.

    Fiction book (2002)

Synonyms

to drain
vsto enfeeble
189 3.4

To slowly use up energy, money, or other resources

denotes causing very strong weakness suddenly rather than slow depletion
to debilitate
vsto enfeeble
20 7.7

To make a person, animal, or thing weak and less able to work

causes very great loss of strength rather than mild weakening
to enervate
vsto enfeeble
  • Formal
2 9.0

Make someone feel weak and without energy

is about producing very deep physical weakness rather than only drained energy
to prostrate
vsto enfeeble
1 8.2

To make someone very weak and unable to fight back

implies making very weak but focuses less on helplessness
to exsanguinate
vsto enfeeble
1 9.9

To make something weak by taking away what it needs

means causing very severe loss of strength rather than slight weakening

Antonyms

327 3.0

To make muscles, relationships, or groups stronger

157 4.2

Give someone the power and confidence to do something

How Weak

to cripple
72 6.3
to debilitate
20 7.7
to enfeeble
2 8.4
to weaken
305 2.8
to impair
61 5.1

Surface Forms

enfeeble infinitive
enfeebled past
enfeebled past participle
enfeebling present participle
enfeebles third person singular

Morphology

enfeeble = feeble (transparent) = en + feeble

The causative prefix 'en-' added to the adjective 'feeble' yields a verb meaning 'make weak', which is directly predictable for learners who know 'feeble'.

Etymology

Enfeeble comes from the prefix en- meaning 'make' and the word feeble meaning 'weak'. So, to enfeeble something is to 'make weak', just like enlarge means 'make large'.