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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in faded
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 diluted
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
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 weakened
Don Sweeney
april 6, Sacbee.com, 6 Apr. 2026
Adults older than 65, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems should avoid egg coffee because raw eggs pose a salmonella risk.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 6 Apr. 2026
And while mortgage rates are still lower than a year ago, making monthly payments more manageable, rates are still much higher than the sub-3% averages available to homebuyers during most of 2020 and 2021 as the weakened economy dealt with the coronavirus pandemic and its aftermath.
—Alex Veiga, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2026
Children under 5, pregnant women, people over 65 and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have serious illness.
—Kaan Ozcan, NBC news, 3 Apr. 2026
These categories include young children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 1 Apr. 2026
Niacin was also found to restore function in weakened immune cells, improving their ability to target and destroy tumor cells.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Only a small fraction of species can make humans sick, and serious infections are usually limited to people with weakened immune systems.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026
Vaccines that protect against infectious diseases have traditionally introduced a weakened or inactivated virus or bacterium or a distinctive protein from its surface to trigger an immune response that is milder than an infection.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 27 Mar. 2026
Michael Phillis, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
But these strengths are being weakened by leadership that has failed to prioritize affordability and competitiveness.
—Randy Altschuler, Baltimore Sun, 7 Apr. 2026
The language of the resolution was significantly weakened to try to get Russia and China to abstain rather than veto it, according to The Associated Press.
—Greg Norman-Diamond, FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2026
Precious metals would also likely see a strong rebound if the the dollar weakened.
—Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2026
Timoja had been misinformed that the ruler of Goa, Yusuf Adil Shah, had died, leaving behind a young and inexperienced successor, and that internal rivalries among Deccan rulers had further weakened Goa.
—Sanat Pai Raikarall, Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Apr. 2026
Betts entered this year at full strength after being weakened by illness at the beginning of last season.
—Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
But, Scanlon noted, the budget was weakened by federal policy changes.
—Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 2 Apr. 2026
The ruling significantly weakened the federal govenment’s ability to send federal observers to the polls.
—Allison Mashell Mitchell, The Conversation, 1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Older children and adults with weakened immune systems also are vulnerable.
—Don Sweeney
april 6, Sacbee.com, 6 Apr. 2026
Adults older than 65, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems should avoid egg coffee because raw eggs pose a salmonella risk.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 6 Apr. 2026
And while mortgage rates are still lower than a year ago, making monthly payments more manageable, rates are still much higher than the sub-3% averages available to homebuyers during most of 2020 and 2021 as the weakened economy dealt with the coronavirus pandemic and its aftermath.
—Alex Veiga, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2026
Children under 5, pregnant women, people over 65 and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have serious illness.
—Kaan Ozcan, NBC news, 3 Apr. 2026
These categories include young children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 1 Apr. 2026
Niacin was also found to restore function in weakened immune cells, improving their ability to target and destroy tumor cells.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Only a small fraction of species can make humans sick, and serious infections are usually limited to people with weakened immune systems.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026
Vaccines that protect against infectious diseases have traditionally introduced a weakened or inactivated virus or bacterium or a distinctive protein from its surface to trigger an immune response that is milder than an infection.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday proposed weakened rules governing the safe disposal of ash produced by burning coal.
—Michael Phillis, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
But these strengths are being weakened by leadership that has failed to prioritize affordability and competitiveness.
—Randy Altschuler, Baltimore Sun, 7 Apr. 2026
The language of the resolution was significantly weakened to try to get Russia and China to abstain rather than veto it, according to The Associated Press.
—Greg Norman-Diamond, FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2026
Precious metals would also likely see a strong rebound if the the dollar weakened.
—Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2026
Timoja had been misinformed that the ruler of Goa, Yusuf Adil Shah, had died, leaving behind a young and inexperienced successor, and that internal rivalries among Deccan rulers had further weakened Goa.
—Sanat Pai Raikarall, Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Apr. 2026
Betts entered this year at full strength after being weakened by illness at the beginning of last season.
—Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
But, Scanlon noted, the budget was weakened by federal policy changes.
—Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 2 Apr. 2026
The ruling significantly weakened the federal govenment’s ability to send federal observers to the polls.
—Allison Mashell Mitchell, The Conversation, 1 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for weakened
Adjective
-
This time, economists say the job market and consumer spending are weaker, and there are no large government stimulus checks being issued to spur demand.—
Christopher Rugaber,
Fortune,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Then, a strong hit by Sennecke on fellow rookie Michael Misa gave way to a weak clearing attempt by former King Tyler Toffoli.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Richter’s market has proved durable even as demand for postwar painting has softened at the top end.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The light softened toward sunset, an evening echo of the same violet sky that hovered over Julian at the start of the day.—
Josh Jackson,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But then concerns about animal welfare rose, and the acute public-health risks faded.—
Rachel Sugar,
Curbed,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The plot wasn’t far off, as so many once bustling towns — like the fictional Radiator Springs — nearly faded away after being bypassed by an interstate.—
Susan Montoya Bryan,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Some say that the quantity of productions required by streaming services has diluted the talent pool of crews.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
When this idea is diluted, government expands its ambition to curate the public’s consciousness.—
George F. Will,
Washington Post,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
State officials issued islandwide brown water advisories for Oahu and Maui after storms sent polluted runoff into coastal waters.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The South Asian nation ranked the world’s most polluted country in 2025, according to the report.—
Esha Mitra,
CNN Money,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
For Bravo, race has always been that lingering chink in its armor — and the latest burgeoning Summer House drama threatens to continue to chip away at the network’s feeble defense against claims of racial insensitivity.—
Shamira Ibrahim,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Apr. 2026
-
After that provocative setup, Dream Scenario unfortunately devolved into a feeble, simplistic cancel-culture satire.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Life360 Ultra Slim Bluetooth Tracker The Tile Slim is a credit-card-thin tracker for your essentials.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Winter can leave lawns patchy, beds overgrown and mulch looking thin.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Meanwhile, the man captaining the boat that gets her into the Amazon is possessed by thoughts of a lost love, a story even a head-in-her-hands Tereza is exhausted by.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
3 Apr. 2026
-
And what if the low-hanging fruit is exhausted and settlements become harder to come by?—
Adam Summers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Weakened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weakened. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
