weaken

American  

[wee-kuhn] / ˈwi kən /

verb (used with object)

1. to make weak or weaker.

   Synonyms:

   invalidate, minimize, impair, reduce, lower, diminish, lessen, deplete, exhaust, sap, undermine, enervate, debilitate, enfeeble

   Antonyms:

   strengthen

2. Phonetics. to change (a speech sound) to an articulation requiring less effort, as from geminate to nongeminate or from stop to fricative.

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verb (used without object)

1. to become weak or weaker.

   Synonyms:

   sap, undermine, enervate, debilitate, enfeeble, invalidate, minimize, impair, reduce, lower, diminish, lessen, deplete, exhaust

   Antonyms:

   strengthen

weaken British  

/ ˈwiːkən /

verb

1. to become or cause to become weak or weaker

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Other Word Forms

• reweaken verb
• unweakened adjective
• unweakening adjective
• weakener noun

Etymology

Origin of weaken

First recorded in 1520–30; weak + -en ¹

Example Sentences

The value of the rial, which sent angry merchants onto the streets when it reached 1.4 million to the dollar at the end of last year, has weakened to 1.6 million.

From The Wall Street Journal

The tourism sector, which employs more than 300,000 people, had already been weakened by US sanctions and the Covid-19 pandemic -- with revenues dropping by 70 percent in six years.

From Barron's

The pairing offered a way to strike deep into Russian territory—targeting the country’s oil fields and refineries, shipping terminals and railways—and weaken its economy, people familiar with the matter said.

From The Wall Street Journal

When illness does occur, known as toxoplasmosis, it is most serious in individuals with weakened immune systems.

From Science Daily

In the frost, wounds quickly turn deadly, as hypothermia weakens the body's ability to cope with trauma.

From Barron's

Related Words

• abate
• decline
• decrease
• depress
• dilute
• diminish
• dwindle
• halt
• impair
• lessen
• lower
• reduce
• sap
• soften
• undermine
• wane