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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in softening
to diminish the physical strength of
weeks of hardship in the desert had greatly weakened them
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fading
to lose bodily strength or vigor
the bodybuilder weakened once she eased off on her workouts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in draining
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of weakening
Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
That was obviously the weakening of your internal khozayka.
—Julia Ioffe, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2025
Despite its weakening power, heavy rain associated with the storm has already stretched as far north as the Desert Southwest.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
While most of the central bank’s policymakers still see inflation as a bigger threat than the jobs market — whose weakening may be more driven by slower immigration than corporate gloominess — there’s little consensus on the path forward, according to the September minutes released Wednesday.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 9 Oct. 2025
Forecasters said that while additional weakening is expected during the next 48 hours, a tropical storm watch is in effect for Baja California Sur from Cabo San Lucas to Cabo San Lazaro.
—Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 8 Oct. 2025
For another, there’s the DESI data, our best large-scale structure data at present, which seems to slightly favor the presence of evolving (and, in particular, decaying or weakening) dark energy.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 3 Oct. 2025
The meeting comes as the central bank is in a bit of a bind, given the recent uptick in inflation that has coincided with a weakening of the job market.
—Zev Fima,jeff Marks, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2025
Inflammation can cause vascular disease — the narrowing, weakening or even blockage of blood vessels — that can damage organs such as the kidneys, lungs, liver and of course the brain.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2025
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 29 Oct. 2025
The free-trade agenda sought to deregulate the labor market and prioritize market efficiency, strengthening the hands of employers and severely weakening union and social movements, as anti-free traders had predicted.
—Dónal Gill, The Dial, 28 Oct. 2025
Amazon is the latest big company to announce layoffs, deepening concerns ahead of the Fed’s meeting this week that the labor market is weakening.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2025
Normally, a storm as slow-moving as Melissa has been—with forward motion of 3 to 5 mph—would churn up colder waters from deeper in the ocean, ultimately weakening the storm.
—Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 28 Oct. 2025
The eye of the hurricane traversed the entire island, with its winds weakening only to 125 mph by the time is exited Jamaica's western coast several hours later.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2025
The cuts would total nearly 10% of the company’s corporate jobs, as advances in artificial intelligence stoke fears about the white-collar workforce and the US labor market shows signs of weakening.
—Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
Traders are also hoping for a signal from Fed Chair Jerome Powell on Wednesday that the central bank will cut once more at its final meeting of the year in December, partly driven by concerns about a weakening labor market.
—Pia Singh, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2025
Regular vacuuming will keep dirt from settling into the fibers and weakening them over time.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
Columbus’s historic journey to the Caribbean occurred amid significant changes in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, including the exploration of the Canary Islands and Cape Verde, the weakening of Islam, and the rise of Christianity in the form of Catholicism.
—Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
That was obviously the weakening of your internal khozayka.
—Julia Ioffe, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2025
Despite its weakening power, heavy rain associated with the storm has already stretched as far north as the Desert Southwest.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
While most of the central bank’s policymakers still see inflation as a bigger threat than the jobs market — whose weakening may be more driven by slower immigration than corporate gloominess — there’s little consensus on the path forward, according to the September minutes released Wednesday.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 9 Oct. 2025
Forecasters said that while additional weakening is expected during the next 48 hours, a tropical storm watch is in effect for Baja California Sur from Cabo San Lucas to Cabo San Lazaro.
—Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 8 Oct. 2025
For another, there’s the DESI data, our best large-scale structure data at present, which seems to slightly favor the presence of evolving (and, in particular, decaying or weakening) dark energy.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 3 Oct. 2025
The meeting comes as the central bank is in a bit of a bind, given the recent uptick in inflation that has coincided with a weakening of the job market.
—Zev Fima,jeff Marks, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2025
Inflammation can cause vascular disease — the narrowing, weakening or even blockage of blood vessels — that can damage organs such as the kidneys, lungs, liver and of course the brain.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Ocean acidification is weakening the teeth of sharks.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 29 Oct. 2025
The free-trade agenda sought to deregulate the labor market and prioritize market efficiency, strengthening the hands of employers and severely weakening union and social movements, as anti-free traders had predicted.
—Dónal Gill, The Dial, 28 Oct. 2025
Amazon is the latest big company to announce layoffs, deepening concerns ahead of the Fed’s meeting this week that the labor market is weakening.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2025
Normally, a storm as slow-moving as Melissa has been—with forward motion of 3 to 5 mph—would churn up colder waters from deeper in the ocean, ultimately weakening the storm.
—Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 28 Oct. 2025
The eye of the hurricane traversed the entire island, with its winds weakening only to 125 mph by the time is exited Jamaica's western coast several hours later.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2025
The cuts would total nearly 10% of the company’s corporate jobs, as advances in artificial intelligence stoke fears about the white-collar workforce and the US labor market shows signs of weakening.
—Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
Traders are also hoping for a signal from Fed Chair Jerome Powell on Wednesday that the central bank will cut once more at its final meeting of the year in December, partly driven by concerns about a weakening labor market.
—Pia Singh, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2025
Regular vacuuming will keep dirt from settling into the fibers and weakening them over time.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for weakening
Noun
-
The causes of the deterioration are different in each case, and some of Washington’s grievances against Brazil, India, and South Africa—global swing states that will help dictate which country leads the world—are legitimate.—
Richard Fontaine,
Foreign Affairs,
27 Oct. 2025
-
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, CMT causes a range of sensory and motor symptoms, including numbness, tingling, pain, muscle weakness and atrophy — deterioration in cells, tissues, and organs.—
Diana Leyva,
Nashville Tennessean,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Constipation can occur with iron supplements by affecting gut bacteria and pulling stool-softening water from your colon.—
Emmanuella Ogbonna,
Health,
31 Oct. 2025
-
It’s attracted a ton of speculation that maybe, just maybe, Netflix is finally softening its stance on putting movies into theaters.—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Caos isn’t an easy listen, often fading into a bleary haze and not quite coherently fulfilling the implications of its concept.—
Jon Dolan,
Rolling Stone,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Imagine slowly losing the center of your vision, like a camera lens fading to fog.—
Pranjal Malewar,
New Atlas,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Relying on that representation, Trinity Broadcasting increased McGraw’s stake in Merit Street, via his production banner Peteski, to 70 percent while diluting its own stake to 30 percent.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Thune took the step last month of allowing Trump officials to be approved in batches, essentially diluting the power of senators in the minority party to register their complaints.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
By aligning strategic work with those rhythms, productivity can feel more natural and less draining.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The biggest mistake that girls make when going into the interview portion of the pageant, Alverson says, is wasting their interview time on unnecessary, pandering statements.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Testing the market by pricing high is becoming a losing and time-wasting strategy.—
Aldo Svaldi,
Denver Post,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The structures were sagging under the weight of so many books.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
20 Oct. 2025
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The dilapidated wooden trim and sagging porticos were spruced up a few years ago after preservationists complained to the Landmarks Preservation Commission, but the upstairs windows reveal glimpses of peeling paint, crumbling plaster, and collapsing ceilings inside.—
Kim Velsey,
Curbed,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The majority of interested clients are eligible candidates for PRP and PRF; however, those with blood disorders, autoimmune conditions, infections or taking blood-thinning medication should consult with their aesthetic provider first.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
28 Oct. 2025
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Blueberry bushes with upright growth, like Rabbiteye and Southern Highbush, perform well after thinning overly long canes from the top of the bush.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
26 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Weakening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weakening. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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