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 The majority of stocks on Wall Street fell, and helping to weaken them was rising pressure from the bond market. — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026 The coming-of-age experience—friendships, independence, experimentation—has become less obviously dependent on the campus surrounding it, partly because college’s monopoly on exposure to a wider world weakened. — Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2026 But what strengthens the party also weakens some of China’s instruments of power. — Andrew Mertha, Foreign Affairs, 17 Sep. 2026 In news that seems redundant but is meant to be relevant, Conrad’s doctor warns that his impulse control is weakening, which allows Brosnan to go from zero to unhinged at the drop of a newsboy cap. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for weaken

Recent Examples of Synonyms for weaken

Verb

This unit has plenty of opportunities to gel by November, when the schedule softens a bit before a potential playoff push.

— Zak Keefer, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
But while anti-immigrant, pro-Russian parties have made inroads across the continent in recent years, there have also been notable reversals, and some have softened their views to build coalitions with moderates.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of soften

Verb

Some members of the Fed’s interest-rate setting committee still expect inflation, outside of food and energy, to fade over time and may not feel a rate hike is necessary.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2026
Reid Detmers struck out eight over six innings, and Jose Siri and Denzer Guzman each drove in two runs to help the Angels beat the fading Seattle Mariners 6-4 on Monday night.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of fade

Verb

Mid-decade redistricting frenzy Vance suggested that Republican state lawmakers have every right to dilute the voting power of left-leaning Kansas City amid a bitter partisan fight for control of Congress.

— Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2026
Too much success at entry prices comes with a risk of overexposure, diluting brand equity and perhaps training the consumer to hold off for even more price cuts, the report warns.

— Miles Socha, Footwear News, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of dilute

Verb

The pilots of an Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 were blamed for crashing into a seawall in 2013, sending their jet cartwheeling down a runway in San Francisco, killing three people and injuring 187 others.

— Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026
The jet, traveling from San Juan, Puerto Rico, overshot the runway, killing five people and injuring another five.

— Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of injure

Verb

Visiting missionaries fill tribal members’ gas tanks and replace their sagging roofs.

— Savannah Peters, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
While execs don’t publicly characterize it this way, it was motivated in part by Comcast’s sagging stock price, which reflects growing concern about pressure on broadband growth.

— Dade Hayes, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of sag

Verb

Barkov tried to make a return to the Panthers despite the debilitating knee injury.

— Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2026
In 2022, Dion was diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, a rare, debilitating progressive neurological disorder that causes muscle rigidity and spasms so violent Dion broke ribs.

— Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of debilitate

Verb

Integrators who fail to capture this recurring subscription layer may risk losing clients to IT-native MSPs.

— Robert Messer, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
The accords failed to stop the war, creating a frozen conflict with an ever-rising human toll that ultimately gave way to a full-scale invasion.

— David Brennan, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of fail

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“Weaken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weaken. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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