weaken
Americanverb (used with object)
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- Synonyms:
- invalidate, minimize, impair, reduce, lower, diminish, lessen, deplete, exhaust, sap, undermine, enervate, debilitate, enfeeble
- Antonyms:
- strengthen
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Phonetics. to change (a speech sound) to an articulation requiring less effort, as from geminate to nongeminate or from stop to fricative.
verb (used without object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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weakensimple
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weakenssimple
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have weakenedperfect
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has weakenedperfect
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am weakeningprogressive
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are weakeningprogressive
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is weakeningprogressive
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have been weakeningperfect progressive
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has been weakeningperfect progressive
Past
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weakenedsimple
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had weakenedperfect
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was weakeningprogressive
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were weakeningprogressive
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had been weakeningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of weaken
Explanation
To weaken is to become less powerful or strong. When a storm weakens, the wind dies down and the torrential rain becomes a light drizzle. If you weaken physically, your strength diminishes: "I did great at the start of the obstacle course, but my arms began to weaken toward the end and I couldn't climb that last wall." You can also weaken in resolve or spirit, like when your sister's criticism of your art project weakens your confidence about including it in an exhibition. This verb comes from weak and its Germanic root meaning "yield" or "soft."
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.
See Examples For:
If the other hyperscalers also announce higher capital spending while free cash flow continues to weaken, investors may respond similarly.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
Together, they could put the company on the hook for many billions of dollars in damages and weaken the federal protections that have historically shielded it from liability for harmful content on its platform.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
They hoped military pressure from outside might finally weaken or even bring down the regime.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Adding sugar, flavored syrups, milk and/or cream may weaken coffee's potential health benefits.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 22, 2026
It seemed just when the prosecution began to present a strong case against him, his dream team displayed something else to weaken their evidence, and softened the hearts of the jury.
From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers
If the hyperscalers’ spending slows because financing costs rise or free cash flow weakens, semiconductor demand could eventually feel the effects.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
Once active sunspot regions move within 15 degrees of the equator, that twisting mechanism weakens and the main driver of extreme space weather switches off.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 21, 2026
A similar dynamic is likely to play out if the AI boom weakens.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
So if deep water formation weakens in the North Atlantic, Watson argues, the system may not simply stop.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
"Using your powers to manipulate fabric and plants pushes the arcana outside of its intended use. It weakens it."
From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton
Newcastle's midfield has been weakened by the departure of Sandro Tonali, who joined Tottenham this month in a deal worth up to £100m.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
A lack of updating, rising mall rents and splurges on new businesses weakened its business until it declared bankruptcy in 2014.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
Artificial intelligence-suppliers and defense stocks gained, though healthcare weakened as the Europe-wide Stoxx 600 added 0.2%.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
Following the 2002–2011 politico-military crisis that severely weakened its economy, Ivory Coast has regained stability, with growth regularly above six percent, making it among the drivers of West Africa.
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
The smells of bread and beast, smoke and steel are dulled, as if the mist has weakened their potency.
From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir
This trial showed the treatment slowed decline in patients’ ability to use their arms by 54% and weakening of their cardiac muscles by 91%.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
The pause comes despite pressure from a weakening rupiah, which has fallen roughly 7% this year, and tensions in the Middle East.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
Bertha was expected to begin weakening by Wednesday.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
A key risk to the trade is a weakening in the health of the consumer, including via higher oil prices or a softening labor market.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
They’d have dimmed the lights now, but the car batteries were weakening anyway.
From "A Long Way from Chicago" by Richard Peck
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.
