weakly

[week-lee]

adjective

weaklier, weakliest 

1. weak or feeble in constitution; not robust; sickly.

adverb

1. in a weak manner.

weakly

/ ˈwiːklɪ /

adjective

1. sickly; feeble

adverb

1. in a weak or feeble manner

Other Word Forms

• weakliness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of weakly¹

First recorded in 1350–1400, weakly is from the Middle English word weekely. See weak, -ly

Synonym Study

See weak.

Example Sentences

"I feel pain in my head and my legs," he says weakly.

From BBC

“The Lowdown” tames Lee’s mania for his cause through the barely obscured current of hangdog defeat weakly powering his personal life.

From Salon

When she weakly advises him to tuck in the shirt a little more, he snarls through a clenched jaw, “It’s tucked into my socks!”

From Salon

Percy smiles back weakly, resigned to the wait.

From BBC

Around one billion of a certain group of particles called weakly interacting massive particles — or WIMPS, for short — are expected to pass through this detector per second.

From Salon