faint

1 of 3

adjective

fainter; faintest
1
a
: hardly perceptible : dim
faint handwriting
b
: vague sense 2a
haven't the faintest idea
2
: weak, dizzy, and likely to faint
sick and faint from the painJack London
3
: lacking courage and spirit : cowardly
faint of heart
4
: lacking strength or vigor : performed, offered, or accomplished weakly or languidly
faint praise
a faint smile on her lips
5
: producing a sensation of faintness : oppressive
the faint atmosphere of a tropical port
faintish adjective
faintishness noun
faintly adverb
faintness noun

faint

2 of 3

verb

fainted; fainting; faints

intransitive verb

1
: to lose consciousness because of a temporary decrease in the blood supply to the brain
2
archaic : to lose courage or spirit
3
archaic : to become weak

faint

3 of 3

noun

: the physiological action of fainting
also : the resulting condition : syncope sense 1

Example Sentences

Adjective We heard a faint noise. the faint glow of a distant light There was a faint smile on her lips. There's just a faint chance that the weather will improve by tomorrow. a faint reminder of their former greatness I'd better lie down; I feel faint. She felt faint from hunger. Verb He always faints at the sight of blood. She almost fainted from the pain. She suffers from fainting spells. Noun shocking news can cause a person to fall into a faint See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
That said, the highest temperature is 450 degrees Fahrenheit, so the grill marks that were visible in other tests were more faint with this pellet grill. Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 26 May 2023 Bingo, the faint smell and taste of chlorine was gone. Bill Laytner, Detroit Free Press, 8 May 2023 In retaliating against Zephyr, Montana Republicans accused her of crossing a line that is faint at best in political debate. Amy Beth Hanson And Matthew Brown, Anchorage Daily News, 2 May 2023 This is not thick tasting or overly chocolaty, and the Belgian yeast flavor is faint at best. Marc Bona, cleveland, 5 Feb. 2023 As the comet neared Earth, observers were able to spot it as a faint green smudge near the bright star Polaris, also called the North Star. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 2 Feb. 2023 Ironically, the filmmaker who helped create the modern blockbuster will have to win despite the faint whiff of theatrical disappointment. Jake Coyle, Chicago Tribune, 20 Jan. 2023 Previous research suggests even the faint shine of skyglow from cities hundreds of kilometers away can lure migratory songbirds to their deaths, distort predator-prey interactions, disrupt animal hormones, and interfere with a web of other biological processes. Byjoshua Sokol, science.org, 19 Jan. 2023 With a run to 6th-place as a lead-lap finisher and the eventual Rookie of the Year, Busch captured the moment at IMS, but nothing more than faint rumblings about a return followed. Nathan Brown, The Indianapolis Star, 14 Jan. 2023
Verb
The ceremony, though, was briefly halted when LSU's Sa'Myah Smith fainted as the team gathered on stage. Laura Barcella, Peoplemag, 26 May 2023 Nearly two months after winning its first national championship, the LSU women's basketball team took the traditional visit to the White House on Friday – a celebratory afternoon that was briefly interrupted by a scary moment, when an LSU player fainted on the podium. Tom Schad, USA TODAY, 26 May 2023 Another account compared Burrow's fans' reactions to people fainting at a Michael Jackson concert. Victoria Moorwood, The Enquirer, 16 May 2023 In turn, there would be less pressure in the arteries, possibly reducing blood flow to the brain, causing dizziness and possibly fainting. Bryant Stamford, The Courier-Journal, 11 May 2023 Villalobos gave birth to her daughter while testing positive for Covid, then went to the emergency room several months later after fainting at a friend’s barbecue. Aria Bendix, NBC News, 11 Mar. 2023 The White Helmets, northwest Syria’s civil defense organization, reported more than 130 injuries, most of them non-life-threatening, including fractures and cases of people fainting from fear, while a number of buildings in areas already damaged by the quake collapsed. Suzan Fraser, BostonGlobe.com, 20 Feb. 2023 The White Helmets, northwest Syria’s civil defense organization, reported more than 130 injuries, most of them non-life threatening, including fractures and cases of people fainting from fear, while a number of buildings in areas already damaged by the quake collapsed. Suzan Fraser, ajc, 20 Feb. 2023 One department head fainted after a Molina interrogation. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2023
Noun
The presto of the third was kept extra-presto, with beguiling feints (or faints?) of volume in the repeating theme of the strings. Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 13 May 2023 Such belonging is not for the faint of checkbook. Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2023 In a recent video on the Buff Dudes channel, bodybuilder and YouTuber Hudson White spends the day eating and working out like Jackman, and soon finds that the Wolverine routine is not for the faint of heart. Philip Ellis, Men's Health, 4 Apr. 2023 However, purchasing claims is not for the faint of heart, says Thomas Braziel, founder of 507 Capital, an investment company that specializes in distressed debt, which holds a large position in the Mt. Gox bankruptcy and others. WIRED, 30 Mar. 2023 But, don't be fooled as this puzzle isn't for the faint of heart. Jamie Spain, Good Housekeeping, 14 Feb. 2023 The first half wasn’t for the faint of heart. Chris Solari, Detroit Free Press, 12 Feb. 2023 This date isn't for the faint of heart. Janece Maze, Country Living, 2 Feb. 2023 This detox isn’t for the faint of heart. Claire Stern, ELLE, 15 Jan. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'faint.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English feint, faynt "deceiving, false, lacking in spirit or courage, listless, wearied, feeble, pale," borrowed from Anglo-French, "deceiving, false, lacking in spirit, weak," from present participle of feindre, faindre "to make, fabricate, pretend, dissemble, lose heart, fade" — more at feign

Verb

Middle English feinten, faynten "to pretend, lack spirit, become enfeebled, grow weak, fade," verbal derivative of feint, faynt "deceiving, lacking in spirit, wearied" — more at faint entry 1

Noun

noun derivative of faint entry 2

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1792, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of faint was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near faint

Cite this Entry

“Faint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/faint. Accessed 3 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

faint

1 of 3 adjective
1
: timid, cowardly
faint heart
2
: being weak, dizzy, and likely to collapse
feel faint
3
: lacking strength : weak
faint praise
4
a
: not clear or plain : dim
faint cries for help
b
: vague sense 2
haven't the faintest idea
faintly adverb
faintness noun

faint

2 of 3 verb
: to lose consciousness

faint

3 of 3 noun
: an act or condition of fainting

Medical Definition

faint

1 of 3 adjective
: weak, dizzy, and likely to faint

faint

2 of 3 intransitive verb
: to lose consciousness because of a temporary decrease in the blood supply to the brain

faint

3 of 3 noun
: the physiological action of fainting
also : the resulting condition : syncope

More from Merriam-Webster on faint

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