arthritic

[ahr-thrit-ik] / ɑrˈθrɪt ɪk /

ADJECTIVE

palsied

Synonyms

STRONG

debilitated disabled paralyzed shaking trembling

WEAK

atonic diseased paralytic rheumatic sclerotic shaky spastic tremorous weak

Antonyms

WEAK

steady walking

ADJECTIVE

stiff

Synonyms

STRONGEST

creaky rigid solid stark tense thick tight wooden

STRONG

brittle buckram firm refractory rheumatic set

WEAK

annealed benumbed cemented chilled congealed contracted fixed frozen graceless hardened immalleable impliable incompliant indurate inelastic jelled mechanical numbed ossified petrified resistant solidified starched starchy steely stiff as a board stony taut thickened unbending unflexible ungraceful unsupple unyielding

Antonyms

STRONGEST

bending flexible loose pliable slack soft

STRONG

indefinite supple

WEAK

pliant

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Vonn had retired in 2019, her body battered by repeated crashes, her right knee arthritic.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026

Yeah, that won’t take time and effort, and did I mention she was there for treatment of her arthritic hands?

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 19, 2026

“This is like a big bon voyage to my old arthritic hip,” he told O’Brien.

From Salon • Nov. 4, 2025

Q: Recently a reader extolled the virtues of fish oil for his arthritic knees.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 25, 2023

Kate did not sleep well when the arthritic pains were bad.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck