WEAK Synonyms: 289 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'weak' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of weak are decrepit , feeble , fragile , frail , and infirm . While all these words mean "not strong enough to endure strain, pressure, or strenuous effort," weak applies to deficiency or inferiority in strength or power of any sort. // felt weak after the surgery

Q: When is it sensible to use 'decrepit' instead of 'weak'?

The synonyms decrepit and weak are sometimes interchangeable, but decrepit implies being worn-out or broken-down from long use or old age. // the dowager's decrepit retainers

Q: In what contexts can 'feeble' take the place of 'weak'?

Although the words feeble and weak have much in common, feeble suggests extreme weakness inviting pity or contempt. // a feeble attempt to walk

Q: When might 'fragile' be a better fit than 'weak'?

While in some cases nearly identical to weak , fragile suggests frailty and brittleness unable to resist rough usage. // a reclusive poet too fragile for the rigors of this world

Q: When is 'frail' a more appropriate choice than 'weak'?

The meanings of frail and weak largely overlap; however, frail implies delicacy and slightness of constitution or structure. // a frail teenager unable to enjoy sports

Q: Where would 'infirm' be a reasonable alternative to 'weak'?

The words infirm and weak are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, infirm suggests instability, unsoundness, and insecurity due to old age or crippling illness. // infirm residents requiring constant care

weak

adjective

ˈwēk

Definition of weak

as in weakened

lacking bodily strength the little boy was simply too weak to lift the box

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in soft

lacking strength of will or character I was too weak to resist the free doughnuts in the office break room

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in thin

not containing very much of some important element the coffee came out too weak because I didn't use enough ground beans

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in unreasonable

not using or following good reasoning your argument is weak

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in helpless

unable to act or achieve one's purpose the vice president is a relatively weak official

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective weak contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of weak are decrepit, feeble, fragile, frail, and infirm. While all these words mean "not strong enough to endure strain, pressure, or strenuous effort," weak applies to deficiency or inferiority in strength or power of any sort.

felt weak after the surgery

When is it sensible to use decrepit instead of weak?

The synonyms decrepit and weak are sometimes interchangeable, but decrepit implies being worn-out or broken-down from long use or old age.

the dowager's decrepit retainers

In what contexts can feeble take the place of weak?

Although the words feeble and weak have much in common, feeble suggests extreme weakness inviting pity or contempt.

a feeble attempt to walk

When might fragile be a better fit than weak?

While in some cases nearly identical to weak, fragile suggests frailty and brittleness unable to resist rough usage.

a reclusive poet too fragile for the rigors of this world

When is frail a more appropriate choice than weak?

The meanings of frail and weak largely overlap; however, frail implies delicacy and slightness of constitution or structure.

a frail teenager unable to enjoy sports

Where would infirm be a reasonable alternative to weak?

The words infirm and weak are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, infirm suggests instability, unsoundness, and insecurity due to old age or crippling illness.

infirm residents requiring constant care

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of weak Farther from Tau Ceti, where the light was weaker, a hypothetical high-sensitivity camera could reveal them. — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 18 Oct. 2026 Yeomans says the approach can work for a range of concerns, including oiliness, dullness, frizz and weak hair that needs strengthening. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026 Defensive rebounds could be a weak point this season for a team still trying to solidify its backup center behind Walker Kessler. — Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026 Dark greens represent the strongest signal, yellows represent a weaker signal, and grays represent a very weak or nonexistent signal. — John R. Delaney, PC Magazine, 17 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for weak

Recent Examples of Synonyms for weak

Adjective

Less than a month after acquiring McCarthy in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings, the Giants are turning to the 23-year-old quarterback to try to lead them to the playoffs in a weakened NFC East.

— Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Most enamel-repair products rely on remineralization, which puts minerals back into weakened enamel using ingredients like fluoride, calcium, phosphate or hydroxyapatite.

— Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of weakened

Adjective

Writing diaristic, country-leaning soft-rock, Stiltz also touches on the work of David Berman and Bill Callahan.

— Harry Thorfinn-George, Pitchfork, 22 Oct. 2026
The carbon covers the grip, the thumb rest, and the soft-release button, the spots a photographer touches most.

— Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of soft

Adjective

With fewer trainees at the start of the talent pipeline, organizations are likely to face a thinner shortlist for the CFO seat in the future.

— Sam Birchall, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
The Rams are already thin at receiver in the wake of a hamstring injury suffered by Davante Adams during the Rams’ 18-16 defeat by the Arizona Cardinals last Sunday.

— Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of thin

Adjective

But Michael Edney, who worked at the OLC under Bush, said the opinion’s reading of executive privilege was not unreasonable, given the importance that some presidents place on outside consultation.

— Perry Stein, Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2026
Both sides have accused each other of being unreasonable and of ignoring practical concerns about voting and election security, though in very different ways.

— Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of unreasonable

Adjective

That’s not because Crystal soft-pedals the emotional horror of returning to your home to find charred remains after watching, helpless, as flames took the locus of all your best memories.

— Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
That’s not because Crystal soft-pedals the emotional horror of returning to the charred remains of your home after watching, helpless, as flames took the locus of all your best memories.

— Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of helpless

Adjective

In 1937, Foyles started the Right Book Club, a rather feeble counterweight to Victor Gollancz’s Left Book Club.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
The probe’s landing gear is designed to absorb the energy of each landing to mitigate the risk of tipping over or bouncing back into space, a real concern with the feeble and uneven gravity field on Phobos.

— Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of feeble

Adjective

An individualized exercise and diet program can improve their chances of survival while on the waiting list, a study published Wednesday in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology found, with the frailest patients often benefiting the most.

— Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 22 Oct. 2026
In the novels, Violet is described as a small, frail cadet with dark black hair subtly streaked with silver who requires significantly more dragon-riding practice and precision than her peers.

— Isabelle Farina, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of frail

Adjective

Finally, the third recruits seaweed to gather minerals that are otherwise too dilute to chase.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 July 2026
Clean and disinfect your pruning shears between working on each plant by dipping them into a dilute 10% solution of chlorine bleach water or rubbing alcohol.

— Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 4 July 2026

Definition of dilute

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“Weak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weak. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of weak

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