weaken
Americanverb (used with object)
-
weakens,
present (3rd person singular)
-
weakened,
past participle, past
-
weakening
present participle
-
- Synonyms:
- invalidate, minimize, impair, reduce, lower, diminish, lessen, deplete, exhaust, sap, undermine, enervate, debilitate, enfeeble
- Antonyms:
- strengthen
-
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)
-
weakens,
present (3rd person singular)
-
weakened,
past participle, past
-
weakening
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
weakensimple
-
weakenssimple
-
have weakenedperfect
-
has weakenedperfect
-
am weakeningprogressive
-
are weakeningprogressive
-
is weakeningprogressive
-
have been weakeningperfect progressive
-
has been weakeningperfect progressive
Past
-
weakenedsimple
-
had weakenedperfect
-
was weakeningprogressive
-
were weakeningprogressive
-
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:
However, they may also encourage social divisions and weaken unity within culturally diverse teams.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026
The group alleged the transaction would weaken Hollywood with “fewer opportunities for creators, fewer jobs across the production ecosystem, higher costs, and less choice for audiences.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
That could weaken the impact of any selling.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
Liverpool are reluctant to weaken their attacking options, particularly after Mohamed Salah's departure and with Hugo Ekitike still recovering from an Achilles injury.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
You have to move—but any move will weaken your position.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
If those customers eventually slow capital expenditures because financing costs rise or free cash flow weakens, semiconductor demand could eventually feel the effects.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
More generally, he added, "this withdrawal weakens the international architecture of criminal justice and heightens fears that the perpetrators of the most serious crimes will escape any prosecution".
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
So if deep water formation weakens in the North Atlantic, Watson argues, the system may not simply stop.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
If the broader EU supplier and manufacturer outlook weakens further from here, these traits may allow for a further rerating at Pirelli, Citi adds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
Although mangolomera never weakens, it can be neutralized for short periods of time using the green vines from a sweet potato plant.
From "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind" by William Kamkwamba
Labor-force participation—the share of people either working or actively seeking work—has weakened across a range of age groups.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026
The yen weakened to around 157.50 per dollar, giving back some of the gains from last week’s rare joint U.S.-Japan intervention.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
These changes indicate that Agulhas Leakage weakened dramatically and may have come close to stopping.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026
“Application volume for both refinance and purchase loans declined for the week, and are now running behind last year’s pace,” Fratantoni said, “indicating that higher mortgage rates have weakened overall demand.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
Three days aboard ship had already weakened Penelope’s capacity to lie.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
The findings indicate that the eastward flow may now be weakening after reaching its strongest point several years ago.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026
The yen has been weakening because of the gap between Japanese and US interest rates, high oil prices and concerns about Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's spending plans further swelling Japan's enormous debts.
From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026
"They have a weakening yen, and they wanted a little bit of help. And we're always there for Japan," US President Donald Trump told reporters on Sunday.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
The Fed cut interest rates by 1.75 percentage points over the last two years to guard against the risks of a weakening labor market amid signs inflation was heading to its 2% goal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
“Are you never wrong?” said Queen Bella, and she smiled into the weakening eyes of her ruler.
From "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman
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.
