WEAKEN Synonyms: 134 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'weaken' distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of weaken are cripple , debilitate , disable , enfeeble , sap , and undermine . While all these words mean "to lose or cause to lose strength or vigor," weaken may imply loss of physical strength, health, soundness, or stability or of quality, intensity, or effective power. // a disease that weakens the body's defenses

Q: When would 'cripple' be a good substitute for 'weaken'?

While in some cases nearly identical to weaken , cripple implies causing a serious loss of functioning power through damaging or removing an essential part or element. // crippled by arthritis

Q: Where would 'debilitate' be a reasonable alternative to 'weaken'?

The words debilitate and weaken can be used in similar contexts, but debilitate suggests a less marked or more temporary impairment of strength or vitality. // the debilitating effects of surgery

Q: When could 'disable' be used to replace 'weaken'?

While the synonyms disable and weaken are close in meaning, disable suggests bringing about impairment or limitation in a physical or mental ability. // disabled by an injury sustained at work

Q: When might 'enfeeble' be a better fit than 'weaken'?

The synonyms enfeeble and weaken are sometimes interchangeable, but enfeeble implies a condition of marked weakness and helplessness. // enfeebled by starvation

Q: How are the words 'undermine' and 'sap' related as synonyms of 'weaken'?

Both undermine and sap suggest a weakening by something working surreptitiously and insidiously. // a poor diet undermines your health // drugs had sapped his ability to think

weaken

verb

ˈwē-kən

Definition of weaken

as in to soften

to diminish the physical strength of weeks of hardship in the desert had greatly weakened them

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to fade

to lose bodily strength or vigor the bodybuilder weakened once she eased off on her workouts

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to dilute

to alter (something) for the worse with the addition of foreign or lower-grade substances weakened the juice with too much water

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word weaken distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of weaken are cripple, debilitate, disable, enfeeble, sap, and undermine. While all these words mean "to lose or cause to lose strength or vigor," weaken may imply loss of physical strength, health, soundness, or stability or of quality, intensity, or effective power.

a disease that weakens the body's defenses

When would cripple be a good substitute for weaken?

While in some cases nearly identical to weaken, cripple implies causing a serious loss of functioning power through damaging or removing an essential part or element.

crippled by arthritis

Where would debilitate be a reasonable alternative to weaken?

The words debilitate and weaken can be used in similar contexts, but debilitate suggests a less marked or more temporary impairment of strength or vitality.

the debilitating effects of surgery

When could disable be used to replace weaken?

While the synonyms disable and weaken are close in meaning, disable suggests bringing about impairment or limitation in a physical or mental ability.

disabled by an injury sustained at work

When might enfeeble be a better fit than weaken?

The synonyms enfeeble and weaken are sometimes interchangeable, but enfeeble implies a condition of marked weakness and helplessness.

enfeebled by starvation

How are the words undermine and sap related as synonyms of weaken?

Both undermine and sap suggest a weakening by something working surreptitiously and insidiously.

a poor diet undermines your health

drugs had sapped his ability to think

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 weaken Left unchecked, these sap-sucking pests can quickly weaken tomato plants and reduce your harvest, so early intervention is essential. — The Spruce, 18 July 2026 The nation is increasingly seen as a gateway for energy flows from Iraq, including plans for crude oil pipelines, so as to weaken Iran’s leverage over the crucial waterway. — Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 18 July 2026 Thankfully, that high pressure in the upper atmosphere has weakened some, and is now moving eastward. — Sean MacAday, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026 The infrastructure is being actively weakened by eroding the safety net and delegitimizing science. — Sunny Patel, STAT, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for weaken

Recent Examples of Synonyms for weaken

Verb

In recent months, with his cancer diagnosis now public, his attitude had softened and the prospect of him coming back to the stadium was dangling.

— George Caulkin, New York Times, 21 July 2026
Let your shoes soften the look, while the rest of your accessories—like a designer bag and statement jewelry—do all the heavy lifting.

— India Roby, Glamour, 21 July 2026

Definition of soften

Verb

In a year where everything Skubal does has been fair game for discussion and discord, the barbs surrounding the WBC still have not faded.

— Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 22 July 2026
But our excitement fades as Nolan’s camera captures the men raping women, looting houses and reveling in the violence.

— Brent Lang, Variety, 21 July 2026

Definition of fade

Verb

The campaign centers on the Supreme Court’s April ruling weakening Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, a key provision used to challenge voting laws and electoral maps that discriminate on the basis of race or dilute minority voting power.

— Reuters, NBC news, 15 July 2026
Liquid fertilizers diluted in water and applied when watering are quick to supply nutrients to plants, but need to be reapplied more often.

— Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 July 2026

Definition of dilute

Verb

When poultry get infected, there is a near-zero chance of survival, so governments across the world have embarked on mass slaughter campaigns in infected farms to slow the spread.

— Todd Symons, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
At least 36 health care workers in Congo have become infected with the virus and died since May.

— Rebecca Schneid, Time, 22 July 2026

Definition of infect

Verb

In Desert Storm, the short duration of ground operations was made possible by an air campaign that debilitated Iraq’s entire military establishment.

— David A. Deptula, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
But this is another story entirely, full of its own complications of immigration and homelands and politics, a story of a difficult and fractured relationship with a parent, a story of a debilitating disease.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026

Definition of debilitate

Verb

Justice John Dixon said Bauer Media had failed to show the claims made about Wilson were substantially true or trivial.

— Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
The state ethics commission accused the Georgia Republican Assembly and its political action committee of failing to disclose more than $180,000 of contributions and other violations.

— David Wickert, AJC.com, 22 July 2026

Definition of fail

Browse Nearby Words

weak

weaken

weakened

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Weaken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weaken. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of weaken

verb

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on weaken

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

itinerant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?

Popular

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes