weakened 1 of 2

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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

weakened

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verb

past tense of weaken
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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
Adjective
Young children, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems face a higher risk of severe illness. Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 24 July 2026 Infections caused by salmonella can be serious and potentially deadly for vulnerable groups, including young children, seniors, and those with weakened immune systems. Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 24 July 2026 Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, elderly people and those with weakened immune systems. Mary Lyle, Arkansas Online, 23 July 2026 An aneurysm is a weakened or bulging artery wall, and coiling is a procedure used to block blood flow to the aneurysm, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026 Serratia marcescens can occasionally cause infections in people with weakened immune systems or those who are hospitalized. Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 9 July 2026 Doctors are also more likely to order the test for those at higher risk of complications from their infection, including very young babies and children, and people with weakened immune systems. Alice Park, Time, 8 July 2026 While anyone can get sick, young children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to become seriously ill. Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 July 2026 What to look for Salmonella is a foodborne illness that can be fatal to young children, pregnant women, older adults and people with weakened immune systems, according to the National Institutes of Health. Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Verb
Researchers, educators, and policymakers questioned whether broadcasting encouraged juvenile delinquency, weakened family relationships, and gave governments and media organizations unprecedented influence over public opinion. Michael Edmondson, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026 Hochul, who weakened the state’s climate goals and signed off on new gas pipelines, is again an example. Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 21 July 2026 That scandal severely weakened Madigan’s grip on power and eventually led to Welch succeeding him as speaker in 2021, despite his own controversial past involving personal relationships with women. Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 20 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 Some frogs may have been sleeping, weakened, injured, or otherwise compromised before being captured. Jay Kakade july 13, New Atlas, 14 July 2026 Most people who are exposed to Legionella bacteria don’t get sick at all, but vulnerable groups can include people who are over 50, who vape or smoke, or who have weakened immune systems or underlying health conditions like diabetes or lung disease. Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 14 July 2026 Or perhaps the initial rightward bias is so weak (and further weakened by the gene variants) that sometimes chance fluctuations give the left side the upper hand. Quanta Magazine, 13 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for weakened
Adjective
  • The germ theory of disease was a huge step forward, helping doctors understand that polluted water sources spread disease, and then helping to develop antibiotics.
    Bill Conerly, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • By late Thursday afternoon, Chicago had overtaken Detroit, Minneapolis and Toronto as the most polluted major city in the world, according to Swiss air quality company IQAir.
    Finnegan Belleau, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026
Adjective
  • Even durable bouclé material won’t save a sofa built on a weak foundation.
    Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026
  • Further, the hinge mechanism provides a bit more assistance, and the magnets are a bit weaker, reducing the force needed to open the phone by half.
    Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 22 July 2026
Adjective
  • Somehow director Sam Hargrave and writer David Coggeshall have turned that thinnest of concepts into a feature-length action comedy film for Apple TV.
    Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 26 July 2026
  • Catcher Liam Hicks could also profile as an attractive piece, particularly as the catching market is thin.
    Johnny Flores Jr, New York Times, 26 July 2026
Verb
  • Both Siard and Briceno say that a pencil that feels a little too sharp can be softened a bit on the back of your hand.
    Marci Robin, Allure, 24 July 2026
  • While the Phillies’ winning has softened the criticism surrounding the decision, the owner’s comments illustrate that replacing Thomson was never viewed as an easy or enjoyable choice — even if the results on the field have since justified the move.
    Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Verb
  • The Chicago Sky While their city put on a memorable showcase, Chicago’s home team faded into the background during the festivities.
    Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 26 July 2026
  • Favorite Saratoga Special chased Can’t Sleep until the stretch, faded and finished sixth in the field of eight.
    Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 July 2026
Verb
  • In Louisiana, where Black residents make up roughly one-third of the population, a federal court had found that a post-2020 congressional map with only one majority-Black district likely diluted Black voting power.
    Juhi Doshi, ABC News, 22 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
Adjective
  • Clean and disinfect your pruning shears between working on each plant by dipping them into a dilute 10% solution of chlorine bleach water or rubbing alcohol.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 4 July 2026
  • But dwarf galaxies are smaller and colder, with more dilute and slower-moving matter.
    Paul M. Sutter, Scientific American, 6 May 2026
Adjective
  • Using Neanderthal cranium shapes to estimate specific brain regions’ volume, some investigators claimed to see signs of a mind with feeble linguistic abilities, poor executive function and an unremarkable memory.
    Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 20 July 2026
  • Lei's team propose that this glitch either strengthened or reoriented, or both, the magnetic field of the Blue Eye Pulsar sufficiently to trigger radio emissions, or at least make feeble radio waves that were already there detectable.
    Keith Cooper, Space.com, 6 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Weakened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weakened. Accessed 29 Jul. 2026.

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