Select the most appropriate synonym of the given word. Debilitate
Weaken
Understanding the Word Debilitate and its Synonyms
The question asks us to find the most appropriate synonym for the word "Debilitate". A synonym is a word or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word or phrase in the same language.
What does Debilitate mean?
The word "Debilitate" is a verb. It means to make someone or something weak and infirm.
For example, a severe illness can debilitate a person, or economic hardship can debilitate a nation.
Analysing the Options
Let's look at the provided options and determine their meanings to find the synonym for "Debilitate":
- Vitalise: This means to give life, energy, or vitality to something. This is the opposite of making something weak.
- Sustain: This means to strengthen or support physically or mentally, or to keep something in existence. This also goes against the meaning of making something weak.
- Weaken: This means to make or become weak. This meaning directly aligns with the definition of "Debilitate".
- Animate: This means to bring to life or give a film or story life. While it implies giving energy or life, it is not a direct synonym for making something weak.
| Word | Meaning | Relation to Debilitate |
|---|---|---|
| Debilitate | To make weak or infirm | Target word |
| Vitalise | To give life/energy | Antonym |
| Sustain | To strengthen/support | Antonym |
| Weaken | To make weak | Synonym |
| Animate | To bring to life | Related to vitality, but not a synonym for weaken |
Identifying the Synonym for Debilitate
Based on the analysis of the options, the word that means to make weak is "Weaken". Therefore, "Weaken" is the most appropriate synonym for "Debilitate".
Revision Table: Debilitate and Related Words
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Synonyms | Antonyms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debilitate | Verb | To make weak or infirm | Weaken, enfeeble, incapacitate, drain | Strengthen, invigorate, vitalise, fortify |
Additional Information: Understanding Synonyms and Antonyms
Understanding synonyms and antonyms is crucial for building vocabulary and improving language skills. Let's look at the concepts:
- Synonym: A word that has the same or nearly the same meaning as another word. Example: Happy and joyful are synonyms.
- Antonym: A word that has the opposite meaning of another word. Example: Happy and sad are antonyms.
Knowing synonyms allows you to use different words to express similar ideas, making your language more varied and precise. Knowing antonyms helps clarify the meaning of a word by understanding what it is not.
In this case, finding the synonym for "Debilitate" involved identifying which option shared the core meaning of making something weak.
Important Questions from Synonyms or Antonyms
Directions: Each item in this section consists of a sentence with an underlined word followed by four options, (a), (b), (c) and (d). Select the option that is opposite in meaning to the underlined word and mark your response accordingly.
He had the audacity to blame him.
Directions: Each item in this section consists of a sentence with an underlined word followed by four options, (a), (b), (c) and (d). Select the option that is opposite in meaning to the underlined word and mark your response accordingly.
There is exponential growth in the development of the scientific researches in the recent few decades.
Directions : Item in this section consists of a sentence with an underlined word followed by four words/group of words (a), (b), (c) and (d). Select the option that is nearest in meaning to the underlined word and mark your response in the Answer Sheet accordingly.
The itinerary of the group’s visit to the hills was given to everyone.
Directions : Item in this section consists of a sentence with an underlined word followed by four words/group of words (a), (b), (c) and (d). Select the option that is nearest in meaning to the underlined word and mark your response in the Answer Sheet accordingly.
All mortal elements are impermanent.
Directions : Item in this section consists of a sentence with an underlined word followed by four words (a), (b), (c) and (d). Select the option that is opposite in meaning to the underlined word and mark your response in the Answer Sheet accordingly.
The novel depicts the hapless status of certain sections of society.
