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Synonym Chooser

How is the word weaken distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of weaken are cripple, debilitate, disable, enfeeble, sap, and undermine. While all these words 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

When would cripple be a good substitute for weaken?

While in some cases nearly identical to weaken, cripple implies causing a serious loss of functioning power through damaging or removing an essential part or element.

crippled by arthritis

Where would debilitate be a reasonable alternative to weaken?

The words debilitate and weaken can be used in similar contexts, but debilitate suggests a less marked or more temporary impairment of strength or vitality.

the debilitating effects of surgery

When could disable be used to replace weaken?

While the synonyms disable and weaken are close in meaning, disable suggests bringing about impairment or limitation in a physical or mental ability.

disabled by an injury sustained at work

When might enfeeble be a better fit than weaken?

The synonyms enfeeble and weaken are sometimes interchangeable, but enfeeble implies a condition of marked weakness and helplessness.

enfeebled by starvation

How are the words undermine and sap related as synonyms of weaken?

Both 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

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of weaken During his first term, Trump directed the Environmental Protection Agency to weaken emissions standards that were put in place by the Obama administration. Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 21 Jan. 2025 The offshore Chinese yuan initially strengthened, before weakening to trade at 7.2796 against the greenback. Darla Mercado, Cfp®,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 21 Jan. 2025 These divisive tactics weaken our economy and corrode the moral fiber of our nation. Justin Gest, Newsweek, 20 Jan. 2025 The widening yield differentials between Chinese and U.S. sovereign bonds could risk encouraging capital outflows and put further pressure on the yuan that has been weakening against the greenback. Anniek Bao, CNBC, 10 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for weaken 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for weaken
Verb
  • The surge in immigrants arriving in Colorado last year softened the enrollment decline in the state’s public schools, which for years have been losing students — and funding — as birth rates fall across the nation.
    Jessica Seaman, The Denver Post, 15 Jan. 2025
  • Can a crispy chicken sandwich or a whisky cocktail soften the blow of existential despair?
    Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Sunlight had begun to fade, casting a shadow on the space.
    Colleen Shalby, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2025
  • Saturn, nearby, will become visible to the naked eye as dusk fades to darkness and remain observable for around three-and-a-half hours past sunset, at which point the pair will sink below the horizon and out of view.
    Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Over-reliance on logos weakens brands over time, just as an over-saturation of stores dilutes their allure.
    Stéphane JG Girod, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2025
  • Chlorine beach is an excellent disinfectant for the kitchen but even if it is diluted with water, surfaces should be rinsed before they are used for food preparation.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 1 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Detectives arrested a suspect associated with a stabbing that killed a woman and left a man seriously injured in west Roseville on Saturday, according to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office.
    Emma Hall, Sacramento Bee, 26 Jan. 2025
  • But the three-peat has proved elusive in professional football for all kinds of reasons: Key players get injured.
    Becky Sullivan, NPR, 25 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Among a handful of transfers ticketed to offer immediate help, Marshall may provide a jolt on defense and to the Huskers’ sagging special teams.
    Mitch Sherman, The Athletic, 17 Jan. 2025
  • The new code of conduct, announced to stores Monday, is part of CEO Brian Niccol’s strategy to lure back customers, boost sagging sales and improve worker relations.
    Jordan Valinsky, CNN, 14 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • More alarmingly, the virus has begun to infect humans, with the U.S. reporting 67 cases and its first human death on January 6.
    Tom Howarth, Newsweek, 24 Jan. 2025
  • Seek medical care right away if your baby’s acne appears infected.
    Carrie Madormo, RN, MPH, Verywell Health, 23 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Now that both areas have been debilitated, Sims hopes that the industry finds a new way forward.
    Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Jan. 2025
  • Proust’s insomnia, though debilitating, was made, in classic wound-and-bow terms, into the engine of his art.
    Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • TikTok's last-ditch legal challenge failed on Friday, when the Supreme Court said the law does not violate the First Amendment.
    Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 18 Jan. 2025
  • On the other hand, one failing component could indicate that other parts of the oven will fail soon too.
    Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near weaken

Cite this Entry

“Weaken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weaken. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on weaken

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