1
as in thinned
containing foreign or lower-grade substances
the pharmacist, motivated by pure greed, would pass off the weakened drugs to unsuspecting customers, some of whom had life-threatening illnesses
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in weak
lacking bodily strength
left weakened by a prolonged illness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in soft
lacking strength of will or character
the nation's people, weakened by years of tyranny, tended to automatically obey anyone with an authoritative manner
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4
as in thin
not containing very much of some important element
some experts recommend that runners drink a weakened mixture of juice and water
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in softened
to diminish the physical strength of
weeks of hardship in the desert had greatly weakened them
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2
as in faded
to lose bodily strength or vigor
the bodybuilder weakened once she eased off on her workouts
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3
as in diluted
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 weakened
Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 12 May 2026
The illness primarily affects older adults, people with weakened immune systems and pregnant women and their newborns, but can in some cases affect people outside of these groups, per FSIS.
—Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 11 May 2026
Mold exposure can trigger allergies, worsen asthma and irritate the respiratory system, particularly in children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.
—Ryan Brennan
may 8, Kansas City Star, 8 May 2026
In babies, the measles virus can also cause a rare condition called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, or SSPE — when a weakened form of the disease remains behind even after symptoms seem to clear.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
The city stressed children, seniors and those with weakened immune systems are especially vulnerable to harmful bacteria.
—Tanya Babbar, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 May 2026
Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, older people, and others with weakened immune systems, according to the FDA.
—Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 5 May 2026
Most healthy individuals recover without treatment, but the infection can be more severe for young children, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 30 Apr. 2026
Vaccines lower the risk of getting shingles in the first place, making prevention the most effective strategy — particularly for adults over 50 and people with weakened immune systems.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
Starmer’s authority weakened after Labor’s poor performance in recent elections, blamed on policy missteps, economic struggles, and the prime minister’s controversial decisions, including appointing an ambassador with ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
—Pan Pylas, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
But the critical connection between invention and production has weakened.
—Eric Kutcher, Fortune, 13 May 2026
The Supreme Court's order, which was opposed by the court's three liberal-leaning justices, came after its recent ruling in a Louisiana redistricting case that weakened the Voting Rights Act.
—Benjamin Swasey, NPR, 12 May 2026
Traders on prediction platform Polymarket see only a 13% chance that GameStop will acquire eBay, a bet that has weakened after the online marketplace rejected the offer.
—Svea Herbst-Bayliss, USA Today, 12 May 2026
In his post, Kennedy said a two-month engineering study found weakened rebar in multiple parts of the airport complex.
—Sacbee.com, 11 May 2026
People who have weakened immune systems and who experienced intense pain during an initial outbreak are also more susceptible to getting shingles a second (or even third) time.
—Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 7 May 2026
Meanwhile, the institutional guardrails have been weakened.
—Israel Melendez Ayala, Time, 6 May 2026
Adjective
While most healthy people can recover in four to seven days without treatment, some vulnerable groups, like children under 5, adults 65 and older, and those with weakened immune systems, may experience more severe illness that requires medical treatment or hospitalization.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 12 May 2026
The illness primarily affects older adults, people with weakened immune systems and pregnant women and their newborns, but can in some cases affect people outside of these groups, per FSIS.
—Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 11 May 2026
Mold exposure can trigger allergies, worsen asthma and irritate the respiratory system, particularly in children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.
—Ryan Brennan
may 8, Kansas City Star, 8 May 2026
In babies, the measles virus can also cause a rare condition called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, or SSPE — when a weakened form of the disease remains behind even after symptoms seem to clear.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
The city stressed children, seniors and those with weakened immune systems are especially vulnerable to harmful bacteria.
—Tanya Babbar, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 May 2026
Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, older people, and others with weakened immune systems, according to the FDA.
—Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 5 May 2026
Most healthy individuals recover without treatment, but the infection can be more severe for young children, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 30 Apr. 2026
Vaccines lower the risk of getting shingles in the first place, making prevention the most effective strategy — particularly for adults over 50 and people with weakened immune systems.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
However, when the researchers adjusted the findings for other factors that can affect risk for the conditions, known as confounders — such as genetic and familial influences and the reasons for taking antidepressants — most links significantly weakened or disappeared.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
Starmer’s authority weakened after Labor’s poor performance in recent elections, blamed on policy missteps, economic struggles, and the prime minister’s controversial decisions, including appointing an ambassador with ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
—Pan Pylas, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
But the critical connection between invention and production has weakened.
—Eric Kutcher, Fortune, 13 May 2026
The Supreme Court's order, which was opposed by the court's three liberal-leaning justices, came after its recent ruling in a Louisiana redistricting case that weakened the Voting Rights Act.
—Benjamin Swasey, NPR, 12 May 2026
Traders on prediction platform Polymarket see only a 13% chance that GameStop will acquire eBay, a bet that has weakened after the online marketplace rejected the offer.
—Svea Herbst-Bayliss, USA Today, 12 May 2026
In his post, Kennedy said a two-month engineering study found weakened rebar in multiple parts of the airport complex.
—Sacbee.com, 11 May 2026
People who have weakened immune systems and who experienced intense pain during an initial outbreak are also more susceptible to getting shingles a second (or even third) time.
—Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 7 May 2026
Meanwhile, the institutional guardrails have been weakened.
—Israel Melendez Ayala, Time, 6 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for weakened
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, the rest of the NBA is widely expected to be more competitive next season — from the bottom tier, where anti-tanking regulations and a weaker draft class should curb teams’ intentional losing, to the upper echelons, where Oklahoma City and San Antonio stand tall.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
8 May 2026
-
Conditions change quickly, signals conflict with each other, and weak assumptions tend to get exposed without much delay.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
In a small dry skillet, roast onion and jalapeño over medium, turning once or twice, until softened and browned in spots, 8 to 10 minutes.—
Rick Bayless,
Midwest Living,
13 May 2026
-
The question is why the resale market softened in the first place.—
Dan Zaksheske OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
When the final notes faded, the audience erupted.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 May 2026
-
As the May 4 victory vibes in the Royals’ clubhouse faded toward facing the next day, Jac Caglianone stood in front of his locker in the dwindling room, processing the night and some last questions.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
The key is to make sure they are diluted as well so your blinds are not accidentally damaged.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
10 May 2026
-
The publicity that manufactuers hope to get from MWC is going to be diluted.—
Ewan Spence,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
Warning signs along the shoreline caution that exposure could lead to illness as polluted runoff enters the Pacific Ocean.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
10 May 2026
-
Northern India already has some of the world’s most polluted air, created by a toxic mix of vehicle and industrial emissions, crop residue burning, and construction dust.—
Ayushi Shah,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
So, in retrospect, [the entire Lightning project] looked pretty feeble.—
Jamie Lincoln Kitman,
Rolling Stone,
24 Apr. 2026
-
His visit also comes as the committee stalls on advancing Casey Means, Kennedy’s nominee for surgeon general, over her lack of medical practice experience and feeble answers on the importance of vaccination.—
Daniel Payne,
STAT,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Audiences generally ignore the relatively thin gruel and have an empowering blast.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
-
The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
All borrowing options will be exhausted by February, Fine said.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
8 May 2026
-
The starting quarterback competition is coming down to returning players Cole Ballard and Isaiah Marshall, as Jalon Daniels has exhausted his eligibility and Rice transfer Chase Jenkins recovers from an injury.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Weakened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weakened. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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