feeble

[ fee-buhl ]

adjective

, fee·bler, fee·blest.

1. physically weak, as from age or sickness; frail.
2. weak intellectually or morally:

   a feeble mind.

3. lacking in volume, loudness, brightness, distinctness, etc.:

   a feeble voice; feeble light.

4. lacking in force, strength, or effectiveness:

   feeble resistance; feeble arguments.

feeble

/ ˈfiːbəl /

adjective

1. lacking in physical or mental strength; frail; weak
2. inadequate; unconvincing

   feeble excuses

3. easily influenced or indecisive

Derived Forms

• ˈfeebly, adverb
• ˈfeebleness, noun

Other Words From

• feeble·ness noun
• feeblish adjective
• feebly adverb
• non·feeble adjective
• non·feeble·ness noun
• non·feeb·ly adverb
• un·feeble adjective
• un·feeble·ness noun
• un·feeb·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of feeble¹

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English feble, from Old French, variant of fleible (by dissimilation), from Latin flēbilis “lamentable,” equivalent to flēre “to weep” + -bilis -ble

Word History and Origins

Origin of feeble¹

C12: from Old French feble, fleible, from Latin flēbilis to be lamented, from flēre to weep

Synonym Study

See weak.

Example Sentences

That’s largely due to the feeble illumination of the sun there, which amounts to less than 4 percent of the energy per square meter that hits Earth’s atmosphere.

From Science News

These justifications, which are actually pretty feeble from an engineering standpoint, are fed into our brains from that big marketing program.

From Outside Online

Our official high temperature stood late Saturday at 59 feeble degrees.

From Washington Post

From just 152 cases on April 1, it’s now clocking more than 8,000 cases a day, straining its feeble healthcare infrastructure.

From Time

Anaxagoras fully agreed that the senses could be misleading, calling them “feeble” and unable “to distinguish what is true.”

From Science News

That appears, at best, to be feeble, at worst to have atrophied altogether.

From The Daily Beast

However, Plato and Aristotle each called for the exposure of feeble infants.

From The Daily Beast

Our feeble attempts to push back the Grim Reaper only sharpen its cruel bite, not dull it.

From The Daily Beast

The best line of his speech: “Words seem so futile, so feeble.”

From The Daily Beast

There were electric lamps in the ceiling, but the light was feeble and the power intermittent.

From The Daily Beast

This was somewhat tiresome; and, after a rather feeble attempt at a third laugh, Davy said, "I don't feel like it any more."

From Project Gutenberg

The General in command of the station was a feeble old man, suffering from senile decay.

From Project Gutenberg

The gnarled hands shut up into clenched fists, and the feeble voice trailed off in an agonized moan.

From Project Gutenberg

The machine penetrated everywhere, thrusting aside with its gigantic arm the feeble efforts of handicraft.

From Project Gutenberg

Her heart had always been weak, I'd known that, and it had gradually grown more feeble.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• ailing
• decrepit
• flabby
• fragile
• frail
• incompetent
• inefficient
• infirm
• lame
• paltry
• puny
• sickly
• tame
• weak
• weakened