Synonyms of weakening

weakening 1 of 3

noun

as in deterioration

a gradual sinking and wasting away of mind or body

the all-too-apparent weakening of our grandfather was hard on our mother

Synonyms & Similar Words

• deterioration
• decay
• decline
• decaying
• degeneration
• debilitation
• exhaustion
• enfeeblement
• ebbing
• declension
• atrophy
• descent
• flagging
• drooping
• regression
• setback
• relapse
• limping

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• improvement
• recovery
• rehabilitation
• strengthening
• revitalization
• recuperation
• rally
• comeback
• progress
• snapback
• invigoration
• rejuvenation
• rejuvenescence

weakening

2 of 3

adjective

as in draining

Related Words

• draining
• debilitating
• deadening
• sapping
• injurious
• deleterious
• pernicious
• enfeebling
• exhausting
• enervating
• numbing
• wearying
• unhealthful
• unhealthy
• unwholesome
• noxious
• insalubrious

Dissimilar Words

• vital
• stimulating
• reviving
• bracing
• refreshing
• tonic
• cordial
• restorative
• stimulative
• rejuvenating
• vitalizing
• strengthening
• invigorating
• conditioning
• life-giving

weakening

3 of 3

verb

present participle of weaken

1

as in softening

to diminish the physical strength of

weeks of hardship in the desert had greatly weakened them

Synonyms & Similar Words

• softening
• wasting
• sapping
• damaging
• tiring
• hurting
• injuring
• debilitating
• exhausting
• enfeebling
• paralyzing
• crippling
• enervating
• impairing
• depleting
• devitalizing
• disabling
• harming
• prostrating
• depressing
• etiolating
• incapacitating
• impoverishing
• hamstringing
• grinding (down)
• invaliding
• laying up
• wearing out
• washing out
• unmanning
• wearing down
• breaking down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• strengthening
• fortifying
• recruiting
• energizing
• invigorating
• hardening
• beefing (up)
• rejuvenating
• vitalizing
• seasoning
• toughening

2

as in fading

to lose bodily strength or vigor

the bodybuilder weakened once she eased off on her workouts

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fading
• sagging
• failing
• going
• sinking
• deteriorating
• decaying
• drooping
• lagging
• flagging
• withering
• wilting
• languishing
• wasting (away)
• emaciating
• rotting
• degenerating
• yielding
• wearing out
• breaking down
• running down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• recovering
• rallying
• gaining
• recuperating
• rebounding
• convalescing

3

as in diluting

to alter (something) for the worse with the addition of foreign or lower-grade substances

weakened the juice with too much water

Synonyms & Similar Words

• diluting
• thinning
• cutting
• infecting
• loading
• poisoning
• polluting
• manipulating
• extending
• spoiling
• adulterating
• dirtying
• degrading
• tainting
• contaminating
• sophisticating
• corrupting
• lacing
• watering down
• soiling
• debasing
• cheapening
• misrepresenting
• tempering
• defiling
• fouling
• counterfeiting
• attenuating
• sullying
• falsifying
• spiking
• moderating
• tampering (with)
• befouling
• qualifying
• faking
• envenoming
• doctoring
• fudging

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• strengthening
• reinforcing
• enriching
• fortifying
• augmenting
• fertilizing
• supplementing
• improving
• purifying
• cleaning
• enhancing
• richening
• clarifying
• refining
• filtering
• cleansing
• purging
• flushing
• leaching
• larding
• distilling
• bettering
• pasteurizing
• concentrating
• decontaminating
• condensing
• compacting

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of weakening

Noun

That helped investors see the sell-off in AI infrastructure stocks that began in roughly late June and continued into July in a new light — specifically, the idea that the steep declines had reflected weakening fundamentals quickly evaporated. — Zev Fima, CNBC, 17 Aug. 2026

In 2024, the Fed acted decisively to get ahead of a weakening in the labor market, delivering a bold, half-point rate cut. — Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026

Bain said this exodus has mostly been driven by soaring prices and a weakening value proposition. — George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 13 Aug. 2026

Then slow weakening is forecast as the storm moves over cooler waters and encounters dry air and wind shear. — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026

But lawmakers overrode those objections, and the disputes ultimately reached the Supreme Court, which environmental advocates increasingly view as the last line of defense against the weakening of environmental protections in Brazil. — ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026

In May, Republicans again redrew the map in response to the Supreme Court’s weakening of the federal Voting Rights Act. — Daniel S. Levine, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026

After a dismal two years of weakening demand, falling sales, and damage to its brand by Elon Musk’s political activities, Tesla’s road to recovery continues apace. — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 22 July 2026

The book argues that democracies erode through the backsliding of democratic ideals like mutual tolerance, along with legal processes like the weakening of independent courts. — Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 21 July 2026

Verb

Anderson said population and labor-force declines, along with the Bay Area’s high housing costs, are weakening both the supply of workers and demand for them in many traditional industries. — George Avalos, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2026

Rather than weakening the rule, the authors recommended strengthening it by passing the Roadless Area Conservation Act, which would turn the agency regulations into federal law. — Dan Peck, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026

Porteus said that uncertainty extends to scientific research, warning that instability in federal funding risks weakening a research workforce that has helped make the United States a global leader in science. — Naomi Taxay, Sacbee.com, 19 Aug. 2026

Remember, this ratio chart moving lower means the numerator (MAGS) is weakening relative to the denominator (QQEW). — Todd Gordon, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026

Collaborative robots are also weakening one of the main arguments for humanoids. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026

Recent policy developments risk weakening that American advantage. — John A. Quelch, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2026

Lala is moving northwest at about 9 mph and is expected to move close to the Big Island later Saturday before weakening after interacting with the island. — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026

Sansoni’s study suggests that years of scrolling on Instagram can weaken our ability to rely on these inner signals, essentially weakening our brain’s ability to accurately perceive its own face and body. — Nicole Karlis, Allure, 14 Aug. 2026