1
as in to soften
to diminish the physical strength of
weeks of hardship in the desert had greatly weakened them
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
3
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of weaken
In 2022, Tate opened up about her condition, saying she had been diagnosed with a neuromuscular disease that would weaken her leg muscles over time.
—
Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2025
Lawsuit alleges OpenAI weakened suicide safeguards to boost ChatGPT use.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2025
As the Spanish hold over the Caribbean Sea weakened in the 1560s, English voyages to the region increased.
—Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
And again, the big thing was seriously weakening Iran to a point where they no longer are respected.
—Time Staff, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for weaken
Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2025
Lawsuit alleges OpenAI weakened suicide safeguards to boost ChatGPT use.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2025
As the Spanish hold over the Caribbean Sea weakened in the 1560s, English voyages to the region increased.
—Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
And again, the big thing was seriously weakening Iran to a point where they no longer are respected.
—Time Staff, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for weaken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for weaken
Verb
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The reading brought a sigh of relief, easing concerns that the economy was facing a double whammy of a softening labor market with reaccelerating inflation.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
24 Oct. 2025
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Weekly cattle and wholesale prices softened from daily highs set in late August but remained historically elevated.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Mankinlu Maple Leaf Solar Pathway Lights As daylight starts to fade earlier, these cute pathway lights add both charm and function to your yard.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Oct. 2025
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The Trail Blazers faded in the fourth quarter en route to a 118-114 loss to the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Americano Americano is a shot of espresso that’s diluted with hot water, resulting in a smoother and more balanced flavor.—
Laura Schober,
Health,
23 Oct. 2025
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While bleach should never be used at full-strength on any floors, it can be diluted and used on concrete, tile, and sometimes vinyl.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The next day, however, a football-style tussle left him injured.—
Liza Esquibias,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
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The 2023 edition opened a month later as Israel intensified its bombing campaign on Gaza, which has since killed more than 67,000 people, injured another 170,000 and razed the Palestinian territory to the ground, prompting accusations of genocide, which Israel has strongly rejected.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The structures were sagging under the weight of so many books.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
20 Oct. 2025
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The dilapidated wooden trim and sagging porticos were spruced up a few years ago after preservationists complained to the Landmarks Preservation Commission, but the upstairs windows reveal glimpses of peeling paint, crumbling plaster, and collapsing ceilings inside.—
Kim Velsey,
Curbed,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Healthy people infected with salmonella may experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever.—
Eva Wen,
jsonline.com,
25 Oct. 2025
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Some ferrets that drank contaminated raw milk became infected, but those that ate contaminated raw milk cheese did not.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The trope of male loneliness is a common one, whether played for comedic effect, analyzed for its debilitating impact on society, or both.—
Justin Williams,
New York Times,
26 Oct. 2025
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Battling the debilitating symptoms of a late-stage brain tumor, his grasp on reality becomes increasingly fragile, and as the unlikely duo sets out on the run, old memories blur with the present, dredging up dark secrets from his past.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM, said in a blog post on Wednesday that the currency intervention has failed and predicted a 15%-30% plunge for the peso is highly likely if voters reject Milei again.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
25 Oct. 2025
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Congress failed to pass a budget or temporary funding measure before the federal fiscal year ended on October 1, forcing many federal agencies to cease all non-mandatory operations.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Weaken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weaken. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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