faint

American  

[feynt] / feɪnt /

adjective

fainter, faintest

1. lacking brightness, vividness, clearness, loudness, strength, etc..

   a faint light;

   a faint color;

   a faint sound.

   Synonyms:

   dull, dim, ill-defined, indistinct

2. feeble or slight.

   faint resistance;

   faint praise;

   a faint resemblance.

   Synonyms:

   weak, irresolute

3. feeling weak, dizzy, or exhausted; about to lose consciousness.

   faint with hunger.

   Synonyms:

   languid

4. lacking courage; cowardly; timorous.

   Faint heart never won fair maid.

   Synonyms:

   dastardly, timid, fearful, pusillanimous

5. Law. unfounded.

   a faint action.

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verb (used without object)

1. to lose consciousness temporarily.

2. to lose brightness.

3. Archaic. to grow weak; lose spirit or courage.

noun

1. a temporary loss of consciousness resulting from a decreased flow of blood to the brain; a swoon.

   to fall into a faint.

faint British  

/ feɪnt /

adjective

1. lacking clarity, brightness, volume, etc

   a faint noise

2. lacking conviction or force; weak

   faint praise

3. feeling dizzy or weak as if about to lose consciousness

4. without boldness or courage; timid (esp in the combination faint-hearted )

5. no idea whatsoever

   I haven't the faintest

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verb

1. to lose consciousness, esp momentarily, as through weakness

2. archaic to fail or become weak, esp in hope or courage

noun

1. Technical name: syncope.  a sudden spontaneous loss of consciousness, usually momentary, caused by an insufficient supply of blood to the brain

faint Idioms  

1. see damn with faint praise.

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Other Word Forms

• fainter noun
• faintingly adverb
• faintish adjective
• faintishness noun
• faintly adverb
• faintness noun
• overfaint adjective
• overfaintly adverb
• overfaintness noun
• unfainting adjective
• unfaintly adverb

Etymology

Origin of faint

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French: literally, “feigned,” past participle of faindre, feindre “to feign”; feign

Example Sentences

Any faint hopes of reviving horse racing in Northern California were crushed with the sale of Golden Gate Fields, which will be converted into a park.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

At a viewpoint overlooking Chiang Mai, the city skyline was almost entirely obscured, with only faint outlines of hills visible through a dense grey haze and a dim orange sun hanging in the sky.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

The lettering had been stripped from the building, leaving only a faint imprint of the school’s name on the facade.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

It has a faint, almost red-hot intensity; it’s not aggressive, but assertive.

From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026

The sun’s frail light no longer broke the canopy, and in the deepening shadows, the faint glow of the four realms was beginning to appear.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Related Words

• delicate
• dim
• distant
• dull
• far-off
• gentle
• hazy
• inaudible
• mild
• muffled
• muted
• remote
• slight
• soft
• soothing
• stifled
• vague
• weak