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Synonyms

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.

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
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

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

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
faint Idioms  

  1. see damn with faint praise.

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

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.