weak sister

noun

: a member of a group who needs aid
also : something weak and ineffective as compared with others in a group

Examples of weak sister in a Sentence

The company is no longer a weak sister among auto producers.
Recent Examples on the Web Anyone who did sit up and take notice realized the Tigers were weak sisters. Bill Swank, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Feb. 2024 In Seven Days in May, the president is clearly a weak sister who does not trust the military, and vice versa. Mackubin Thomas Owens, National Review, 10 Aug. 2021 After the Civil War and the advent of metallic cartridges, the Navy was often converted to use the .38 Short Colt cartridge, which was a similarly weak sister. David E. Petzal, Field & Stream, 10 June 2020 Remember, retinol is the weaker sister to the prescription-grade retinoids, and the prescription-grade retinoids are the ones that are clinically proven to show the best results on skin. Michele Corriston, PEOPLE.com, 8 July 2019

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

Word History

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of weak sister was in 1833

Dictionary Entries Near weak sister

Cite this Entry

“Weak sister.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/weak%20sister. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Last Updated: - Definition revised
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