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as in thin
not containing very much of some important element the coffee came out too weak because I didn't use enough ground beans

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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a weak position
a vulnerable position
a susceptible position
an insecure position
a fragile position
a poor position
a weak economy
a feeble economy
a vulnerable economy
a fragile economy
an unstable economy
a frail economy
weak signals
poor signals
poor-quality signals
unreliable signals
insufficient signals
inadequate signals
a weak solution
an inconsistent solution
an inadequate solution
an ineffectual solution
a faulty solution
a deficient solution
a weak smile
a feeble smile
a pathetic smile
a faint smile
a limp smile
an unconvincing smile

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective weak contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of weak are decrepit, feeble, fragile, frail, and infirm. While all these words mean "not strong enough to endure strain, pressure, or strenuous effort," weak applies to deficiency or inferiority in strength or power of any sort.

felt weak after the surgery

When is it sensible to use decrepit instead of weak?

The synonyms decrepit and weak are sometimes interchangeable, but decrepit implies being worn-out or broken-down from long use or old age.

the dowager's decrepit retainers

In what contexts can feeble take the place of weak?

Although the words feeble and weak have much in common, feeble suggests extreme weakness inviting pity or contempt.

a feeble attempt to walk

When might fragile be a better fit than weak?

While in some cases nearly identical to weak, fragile suggests frailty and brittleness unable to resist rough usage.

a reclusive poet too fragile for the rigors of this world

When is frail a more appropriate choice than weak?

The meanings of frail and weak largely overlap; however, frail implies delicacy and slightness of constitution or structure.

a frail teenager unable to enjoy sports

Where would infirm be a reasonable alternative to weak?

The words infirm and weak are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, infirm suggests instability, unsoundness, and insecurity due to old age or crippling illness.

infirm residents requiring constant care

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 weak Their only weak spot is guarding tight ends, and that is mostly by design. Matt Modi, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024 New Trump tariffs could slow down the Chinese economy, already struggling with a years-long property debt crisis and relatively weak consumption. Nicholas Gordon, Fortune Asia, 4 Nov. 2024 Hasbro is still feeling the impact of a weak 2023 that led to excess inventory and closeouts, as well as growing pains related to its plan to right-size its business and shed less profitable toys and business segments. Joan Verdon, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024 The company’s poor financial performance last quarter and weak profit forecast proved to be the last straw for the CVS board. Phil Wahba, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for weak 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for weak
Adjective
  • Those efforts nonetheless take up many hours of screen time, and are padded out by even thinner material like Willis’ friend Fatty (Ronny Chieng) accidentally drawing crowds to Golden Palace by being overly rude to white patrons — a one-note joke sustained for too many beats.
    Alison Herman, Variety, 19 Nov. 2024
  • Rule 2: Modulate your own expectations, too Setting personal boundaries about budget and how many people to buy for can help gift-givers avoid stretching themselves too thin.
    Melinda Fakuade, Vox, 18 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • As Barca laboured and eventually failed to land some of its transfer targets such as Nico Williams, the proposal for Casado might not have seemed too unreasonable at the time.
    Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
  • The indictment alleged Hankison deprived Taylor of the right to be free from unreasonable seizures and deprived her neighbors of the right to be free from the deprivation of liberty without due process of law.
    Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • While Chris Smith lay helpless, authorities say Tarr was plotting to silence him forever.
    Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2024
  • This creates a helpless but highly effective kind of suspense, as Iris must rely on her tormentor to mess up, at least until her limbs start to respond again.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 25 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • Low wages, high youth unemployment and a feeble social safety net mean China’s household spending is less than 40% of annual economic output, some 20 percentage points below the global average.
    Reuters, CNN, 11 Oct. 2024
  • The economy has been weighed down by the weakness of its industrial sector amid Russia’s shutdown in natural gas supplies after the invasion of Ukraine, as well as feeble Chinese demand and the car industry’s difficulties in pivoting to electric vehicles.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune Europe, 8 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • Manu San Felix / National Geographic The Solomon Islands have the world’s second-highest coral diversity, with more than 490 species of hard and soft corals.
    Peter Guo, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
  • The decrease is attributed to a reduction in overall volume for OEM customers and a general reduction in demand for orthopedic soft bracing products.
    Quartz Bot, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Vinegar, which is really dilute acetic acid, will help the milk curdle by further denaturing the whey proteins and neutralizing negative charges at the surface of casein micelles.
    Liz Roth-Johnson, Discover Magazine, 12 Feb. 2013
  • However toxic a substance may be, the amount of exposure received by the general population is very dilute.
    George Johnson, Discover Magazine, 8 July 2013
Adjective
  • Another possible argument is the arbitrators’ decision is irrational given the evidence and testimony or, similarly, the arbitrators relied on materials and insights that were inapplicable or vulnerable to bias.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 4 Nov. 2024
  • Stereotypes like these harm Latinas by turning us into unhinged and irrational women in the popular imagination of white U.S. society.
    Nicole Froio, refinery29.com, 29 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • When the technology is limited to medical applications, such as Chang’s device that helps paralyzed people regain the ability to communicate, those applications are covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
    Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024
  • My left leg is, uh, partially paralyzed from my hip to my knee, then from my knee to my toes, completely paralyzed, so if there's any neurosurgeons out there … any researchers out there, please get a hold of me.
    Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near weak

Cite this Entry

“Weak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weak. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

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