as in fragile
chronically or repeatedly suffering from poor health
a weakly baby who required repeated hospitalizations
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in feebly
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of weakly
R29 Team, Refinery29, 19 Sep. 2025
After striking out weakly in his at-bat in the fourth, the Twins removed Jeffers from the game.
—David Brown, Twin Cities, 6 Sep. 2025
These differences matter — research shows the benefits are strongest where enforcement is clear and coverage is broad, while partial or weakly enforced laws yield far less impact.
—Nirit Cohen, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
In microtransfer printing, laser dies [red rectangles, left] are weakly held in place on their own wafer.
—Roel Baets, IEEE Spectrum, 8 Apr. 2023
Adjective
The sun blasts us from the left and warm air puffs weakly from the vents.
—R29 Team, Refinery29, 19 Sep. 2025
After striking out weakly in his at-bat in the fourth, the Twins removed Jeffers from the game.
—David Brown, Twin Cities, 6 Sep. 2025
These differences matter — research shows the benefits are strongest where enforcement is clear and coverage is broad, while partial or weakly enforced laws yield far less impact.
—Nirit Cohen, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
In microtransfer printing, laser dies [red rectangles, left] are weakly held in place on their own wafer.
—Roel Baets, IEEE Spectrum, 8 Apr. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for weakly
Adjective
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Netanyahu, meanwhile, stands accused of having repeatedly turned down earlier deals with Hamas to appease extreme elements within his fragile coalition government.—
Romina Ruiz-Goiriena,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
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With new tariffs, shifting brand strategies and a fragile financial system, the stakes could not be higher for Bangladesh in 2025.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
Adverb
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One man aboard the boat knew how to navigate the mangroves and sandbars of the keys, and with the late summer sun beating down on the rafters, the boat pushed out feebly into the open ocean.—
Miriam Pensack,
The Dial,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Nobody can say that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a weak team.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Sep. 2025
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Akin to two boxers with weak chins slugging it out, Villa wanted to land another blow.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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The opening layers vanilla and honey into a faintly sweet and almost liquor-like aroma.—
Michael Stefanov,
Robb Report,
23 Sep. 2025
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The porch smells faintly of lime and ginger, and the house hums the way houses do when a good conversation has just ended.—
Gina Pace,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems.—
City News Service,
Oc Register,
27 Sep. 2025
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Today’s over-85 cohort may also be frailer and sicker than the oldest-old were 30 years ago, Gill added, because contemporary medicine can keep people alive longer.—
Paula Span,
Miami Herald,
25 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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The couple with the hiking poles were there, too, eating hamburgers and speaking too softly for Daria and Andrés to overhear.—
Catherine Lacey,
New Yorker,
5 Oct. 2025
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Mia spent three days on the witness stand, much of which was spent looking down, speaking softly and often crying.—
Isabella Gomez Sarmiento,
NPR,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Once the familiar franchise fog creeps into town, a wave of red spider lilies crashes behind it, warping Ebisugaoka and its inhabitants with a sickly red and pink glow.—
Zackery Cuevas,
PC Magazine,
23 Sep. 2025
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Sulfuric acid rains down through the sickly yellow sky but never reaches the lava-licked ground.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
15 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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Make sure the tires reconnect with the road - During the skid, wait until the tires reconnect with the road and then gently straighten the wheels to regain control.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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Unlike traditional candles that require an open flame, these lamps gently melt your favorite wax from the top down, filling your space with hints of Honeycrisp apple and vanilla pumpkin safely and efficiently.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Weakly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weakly. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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