faint

1 of 3

adjective

ˈfānt 

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 pain

—Jack 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

ˈfān-tish 

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

Synonyms

Adjective

• blear
• bleary
• blurry
• dim
• foggy
• fuzzy
• gauzy
• hazy
• indefinite
• indistinct
• indistinguishable
• misty
• murky
• nebulous
• obscure
• opaque
• pale
• shadowy
• unclear
• undefined
• undetermined
• vague

Verb

• black out
• conk (out)
• keel (over)
• pass out
• swoon

Noun

• blackout
• insensibility
• knockout
• swim
• swoon
• syncope

Examples of faint in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Subtle minerality and a light floral touch on the nose give way to a peppery palate, finishing short but clean with faint cereal warmth and crisp simplicity. —Hudson Lindenberger, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025

The Accountant 2, arriving this week some eight long years after the original, does not earn even that faintest of praise. —A.a. Dowd, Rolling Stone, 25 Apr. 2025

Verb

Members of the Swiss Guard became sick and even fainted as the stench traveled, according to reports. —Angela Andaloro, People.com, 25 Apr. 2025

Stocks tumble after Fed Chair Powell warns of tariff inflation Girl who fainted during Mehmet Oz swearing-in is OK, White House says Is the stock market open today on Good Friday? —Anne Marie D. Lee, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2025

Noun

And no one in these countries faints from such statements, does not remember the law and international law, humanity and human rights. —Gord Magill, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024

Then add in the fact that goalkeepers are under minute VAR scrutiny over moving off their line, while takers are allowed to get away all kinds of stops, starts and faints in their run up. —Michael Cox, The Athletic, 15 Aug. 2024

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

Phrases Containing faint

• damn with faint praise
• dead faint
• faint of heart
• not for the faint of heart

Rhymes for faint

• feint
• maint
• paint
• plaint
• quaint
• saint
• taint
• acquaint
• complaint
• constraint
• distraint
• enceinte

Kids Definition

faint

1 of 3 adjective

ˈfānt 

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

ˈfānt 

: 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