How to pronounce debilitate
Say it like duh-BIL-uh-tayt. Debilitate has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (BIL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce debilitate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- duh
- BIL
- uh
- tayt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Debilitate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- duhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- BILSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- taytKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of debilitate
- Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t.
British respelling: dih-BIL-ih-tayt.
What does debilitate mean?
- To make feeble; to weaken.“The American Dream suffered a debilitating effect after the subprime crisis.”
Where does debilitate come from?
From debilitatus, the past passive participle of Latin dēbilitō (“to weaken, debilitate”), from the adjective dēbilis (“weak”), itself from de- + habilis (“able”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with debilitate
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of debilitate.
Questions about saying debilitate
How do you pronounce debilitate?
Say duh-BIL-uh-tayt. The American pronunciation is /dəˈbɪləteɪt/. In British English it is /dɪˈbɪlɪteɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in debilitate?
Debilitate has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (BIL). Broken into parts: duh · BIL · uh · tayt.
Is debilitate pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t. The British form is /dɪˈbɪlɪteɪt/ (dih-BIL-ih-tayt).