weaken

verb

weak·​en ˈwē-kən 

weakened; weakening

ˈwēk-niŋ,

ˈwē-kə-  ; weakens

transitive verb

1

: to make weak : lessen the strength of

2

: to reduce in intensity or effectiveness

intransitive verb

: to become weak

weakener

ˈwēk-nər

ˈwē-kə- 

noun

Synonyms

• debilitate
• devitalize
• enervate
• enfeeble
• etiolate
• prostrate
• sap
• soften
• tire
• waste

Choose the Right Synonym for weaken

weaken, enfeeble, debilitate, undermine, sap, disable mean to lose or cause to lose strength or vigor.

weaken may imply loss of physical strength, health, soundness, or stability or of quality, intensity, or effective power.

a disease that weakens the body's defenses

enfeeble implies a condition of marked weakness and helplessness.

enfeebled by starvation

debilitate suggests a less marked or more temporary impairment of strength or vitality.

the debilitating effects of surgery

undermine and sap suggest a weakening by something working surreptitiously and insidiously.

a poor diet undermines your health

drugs had sapped his ability to think

disable suggests bringing about impairment or limitation in a physical or mental ability.

disabled by an injury sustained at work

Examples of weaken in a Sentence

The disease weakens the immune system.

Some are concerned that the increase in taxes will weaken the economy.

The beams had been weakened by water damage.

efforts to weaken environmental laws

The recent setbacks have not weakened our resolve.

These kinds of contradictions weaken your argument.

The disease causes the immune system to weaken.

The dollar has continued to weaken against the euro.

Lower interest rates have weakened the dollar.

Recent Examples on the Web

In the bond market, Treasury yields fell after a report said sales at U.S. retailers weakened by much more last month than economists expected. —Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2025

His executive order, unless reversed by the courts, will encourage greater corruption in Latin America, hurting the region’s economies, weakening democratic institutions and making countries poorer. —Andres Oppenheimer, Miami Herald, 14 Feb. 2025

In other words, the president may seek to weaken the jobs market. —Rob Wile, NBC News, 12 Feb. 2025

Its creation symbolized a strong bipartisan effort to prevent illicit drugs from destroying lives and weakening the nation. —Paul J. Larkin, National Review, 11 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1529, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

weaken

verb

weak·​en ˈwē-kən 

weakened; weakening ˈwēk-(ə-)niŋ 

: to make or become weak or weaker