faint

1 of 3

adjective

ˈfānt 

fainter; faintest

1

a

: hardly perceptible : dim

faint handwriting

b

: vague sense 2a

haven't the faintest idea

2

: weak, dizzy, and likely to faint

sick and faint from the pain

—Jack London

3

: lacking courage and spirit : cowardly

faint of heart

4

: lacking strength or vigor : performed, offered, or accomplished weakly or languidly

faint praise

a faint smile on her lips

5

: producing a sensation of faintness : oppressive

the faint atmosphere of a tropical port

faintish

ˈfān-tish 

adjective

faintishness noun

faintly adverb

faintness noun

faint

2 of 3

verb

fainted; fainting; faints

intransitive verb

1

: to lose consciousness because of a temporary decrease in the blood supply to the brain

2

archaic : to lose courage or spirit

3

archaic : to become weak

faint

3 of 3

noun

: the physiological action of fainting

also : the resulting condition : syncope sense 1

Synonyms

Adjective

• blear
• bleary
• blurry
• dim
• foggy
• fuzzy
• gauzy
• hazy
• indefinite
• indistinct
• indistinguishable
• misty
• murky
• nebulous
• obscure
• opaque
• pale
• shadowy
• unclear
• undefined
• undetermined
• vague

Verb

• black out
• conk (out)
• keel (over)
• pass out
• swoon

Noun

• blackout
• insensibility
• knockout
• swim
• swoon
• syncope

Examples of faint in a Sentence

Adjective

We heard a faint noise.

the faint glow of a distant light

There was a faint smile on her lips.

There's just a faint chance that the weather will improve by tomorrow.

a faint reminder of their former greatness

I'd better lie down; I feel faint.

She felt faint from hunger.

Verb

He always faints at the sight of blood.

She almost fainted from the pain.

She suffers from fainting spells.

Noun

shocking news can cause a person to fall into a faint

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

But when seen against the context of Wednesday’s market rout, the direction of those shifts also gives an indication, however faint, of the narrative animating the markets. —Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 20 Dec. 2024

Ultra-black butterfly wings, for instance, hint at the possibility of extremely lightweight and absorptive material that could be used to harness solar energy, hone precision telescopes to detect the faintest light traveling across space or produce a camouflage coating for military vessels. —Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Dec. 2024

Verb

Recently, however, the film drew criticism over a scene featuring Brad Pitt fainting on the Las Vegas Grand Prix track during filming earlier this month. —Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024

After fainting on the job with a low hemoglobin count in early January 2021, Lenna Ray, then 67, went to HCA Florida Citrus Hospital in Inverness, Florida, for care. —Gretchen Morgenson, NBC News, 18 Nov. 2024

Noun

And no one in these countries faints from such statements, does not remember the law and international law, humanity and human rights. —Gord Magill, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024

Then add in the fact that goalkeepers are under minute VAR scrutiny over moving off their line, while takers are allowed to get away all kinds of stops, starts and faints in their run up. —Michael Cox, The Athletic, 15 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English feint, faynt "deceiving, false, lacking in spirit or courage, listless, wearied, feeble, pale," borrowed from Anglo-French, "deceiving, false, lacking in spirit, weak," from present participle of feindre, faindre "to make, fabricate, pretend, dissemble, lose heart, fade" — more at feign

Verb

Middle English feinten, faynten "to pretend, lack spirit, become enfeebled, grow weak, fade," verbal derivative of feint, faynt "deceiving, lacking in spirit, wearied" — more at faint entry 1

Noun

noun derivative of faint entry 2

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1792, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing faint

• damn with faint praise
• dead faint
• faint of heart
• not for the faint of heart

Kids Definition

faint

1 of 3 adjective

ˈfānt 

1

: timid, cowardly

faint heart

2

: being weak, dizzy, and likely to collapse

feel faint

3

: lacking strength : weak

faint praise

4

a

: not clear or plain : dim

faint cries for help

b

: vague sense 2

haven't the faintest idea

faintly adverb

faintness noun

faint

2 of 3 verb

: to lose consciousness

faint

3 of 3 noun

: an act or condition of fainting

Medical Definition

faint

1 of 3 adjective

ˈfānt 

: weak, dizzy, and likely to faint

faint

2 of 3 intransitive verb

: to lose consciousness because of a temporary decrease in the blood supply to the brain

faint

3 of 3 noun

: the physiological action of fainting

also : the resulting condition : syncope