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 may also weaken the pleasurable reward signals that make certain foods especially tempting.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 25, 2026
They hoped military pressure from outside might finally weaken or even bring down the regime.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
With an eighth of a mile to go, Richardson felt Ligaroti beginning to weaken.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
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
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
Less salt makes the water lighter, so it sinks less easily and the circulation weakens further.
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
Their gravitational bond weakens, so that when another star passes the binary, the pair break up.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
The dollar weakened as investors positioned ahead of the Fed’s decision.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
Their findings, published in Nature Communications, suggest the gel could repair enamel that has been weakened by mineral loss or erosion, reinforce enamel that is still healthy, and help protect teeth from future damage.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 23, 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
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
Had grief for King Hamlet weakened her mind?
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
Deliveries are expected to fall between 3% and 7% on year from a previous forecast of flat unit deliveries, as the company adjusts expectations for the weakening Chinese market.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
Indonesia’s central bank unexpectedly held interest rates steady on Wednesday as it assessed the effects of previous tightening moves amid a weakening currency and ongoing 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
The key risk to the trade is a weakening in sentiment that threatens that M&A cycle, Goldman believes.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
It was a strange and unsettling sight, like he was standing at the edge of the universe, and for a brief moment he was overcome by vertigo, his knees weakening before he steadied himself.
From "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner
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.
