infirmity
Bodily ailment condition
Infirmity is physical weakness or ailment, especially from old age or illness: the infirmities of advancing years.
The word suggests frailty rather than acute disease—a gradual diminishment of strength or function.
It can extend to weakness of character or will: moral infirmity.
The plural often appears in descriptions of elderly decline: Despite his infirmities, he remained sharp.
Weakness of body
- weaknessDeficiency in force
- feeblenessLack of strength
- debilityImpaired strength or vitality
- decrepitudeWornness from age
enfeeblement · fragility · lameness · palsy · tremor · unsteadiness · fatigue · exhaustion
Minor health problem
- maladyA bodily affliction
- afflictionCause of ongoing distress
- sicknessBodily disorder or disease
- diseaseDisorder impairing normal function
complaint · condition · disorder · chronic · syndrome · invalid · invalidism · convalescent
Deficiency in force
- failingFlaw in one's nature
- flawImperfection in something
- foibleMinor personal flaw
- shortcomingA fault or weakness
vice · fault · defect · frailty · imperfection · fallibility · temptation · waywardness
Diminished function or capacity
- handicapImposed competitive disadvantage
- incapacityLack of ability
- limitationBound on extent
- dysfunctionAbnormal or unhealthy operation
deficiency · blindness · deafness · paralysis · paraplegia · quadriplegia · lameness · mobility
Liability to influence
- weaknessDeficiency in force
- fragilityEase of breaking
- delicacyRefined sensitivity or rarity
- sensitivityResponsiveness to stimuli
precariousness · defenselessness · exposure · risk · frailness · tenderness · brittleness · instability
Gradual functional decline with age
- elderlyAdvanced in age
- geriatricRelating to elderly care
- gerontologyScientific study of senescence
- octogenarianPerson in ninth decade
nonagenarian · centenarian · senior · superannuated · aged · dotage · senility · elder
frailty
Weakness of body
- weaknessDeficiency in force
- feeblenessLack of strength
- debilityImpaired strength or vitality
decrepitude · enfeeblement · fragility · lameness · palsy · tremor · unsteadiness · fatigue · exhaustion · weariness
ailment
Minor health problem
- maladyA bodily affliction
- afflictionCause of ongoing distress
- sicknessBodily disorder or disease
disease · complaint · condition · disorder · chronic · syndrome · invalid · invalidism · convalescent · ailing
weakness
Deficiency in force
shortcoming · vice · fault · defect · frailty · imperfection · fallibility · temptation · waywardness · corruption
impairment
Diminished function or capacity
- handicapImposed competitive disadvantage
- incapacityLack of ability
- limitationBound on extent
dysfunction · deficiency · blindness · deafness · paralysis · paraplegia · quadriplegia · lameness · mobility · accessibility
susceptibility
Liability to influence
sensitivity · precariousness · defenselessness · exposure · risk · frailness · tenderness · brittleness · instability · insecurity
senescence
Gradual functional decline with age
- elderlyAdvanced in age
- geriatricRelating to elderly care
- gerontologyScientific study of senescence
octogenarian · nonagenarian · centenarian · senior · superannuated · aged · dotage · senility · elder · longevity
- illnessdisease, sickness, illness, ailment, disorder
- afflictionsaffliction, ailment, disease, illness, malady
- ailmentsache, aches, ailment, cold, flu
- physical weaknessweakness, frailty, feebleness, poor health, debility
- weaknessweakness, feebleness, frailty, debility, asthenia
- weaknessesweakness, flaw, failing, defect, shortcoming
infirmityhealth
Condition of body, mind
wellness · soundness · healthiness · fitness · wholeness
infirmitystrength
Power to exert force
vigor · robustness · vitality · hardiness · sturdiness
infirmityresolution
Formal decision or determination
resolve · steadfastness · firmness · determination · decisiveness