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
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 people recover from treatment, but older adults, infants and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop severe illnesses from salmonellosis.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 1 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
Who’s Most at Risk for Shingles People over 50 and those with weakened immune systems face the highest odds — and the risk climbs with each decade.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 29 Apr. 2026
Illnesses may be more severe for young children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.
—Addy Bink, The Hill, 28 Apr. 2026
Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 7 May 2026
Meanwhile, the institutional guardrails have been weakened.
—Israel Melendez Ayala, Time, 6 May 2026
The poll also found 62% of Americans − up from 57% in January − think the United States' role on the world stage has been weakened because of the president's decisions, while 38% say it has been strengthened.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 6 May 2026
Amidror said Iran’s ability to support Hezbollah and Hamas has already been weakened by the collapse of regional supply routes.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 6 May 2026
Indiana’s primary results are expected to pressure Republican lawmakers in other states to aggressively redraw congressional districts before November, following a Supreme Court decision that weakened Voting Rights Act protections.
—Thomas Beaumont, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
Republicans are quickly working to redraw and pass new congressional maps in time for the midterms, after a recent Supreme Court ruling weakened the Voting Rights Act.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 4 May 2026
Reuters Google’s embrace of defense work shows how far employee activism has weakened as the company clamps down on internal dissent and chases AI-era government contracts.
—Ruth Umoh, Fortune, 4 May 2026
That decision weakened coordination, diluted accountability and put politics in a space where execution matters most.
—Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 4 May 2026
Adjective
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 people recover from treatment, but older adults, infants and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop severe illnesses from salmonellosis.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 1 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
Who’s Most at Risk for Shingles People over 50 and those with weakened immune systems face the highest odds — and the risk climbs with each decade.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 29 Apr. 2026
Illnesses may be more severe for young children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.
—Addy Bink, The Hill, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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
The poll also found 62% of Americans − up from 57% in January − think the United States' role on the world stage has been weakened because of the president's decisions, while 38% say it has been strengthened.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 6 May 2026
Amidror said Iran’s ability to support Hezbollah and Hamas has already been weakened by the collapse of regional supply routes.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 6 May 2026
Indiana’s primary results are expected to pressure Republican lawmakers in other states to aggressively redraw congressional districts before November, following a Supreme Court decision that weakened Voting Rights Act protections.
—Thomas Beaumont, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
Republicans are quickly working to redraw and pass new congressional maps in time for the midterms, after a recent Supreme Court ruling weakened the Voting Rights Act.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 4 May 2026
Reuters Google’s embrace of defense work shows how far employee activism has weakened as the company clamps down on internal dissent and chases AI-era government contracts.
—Ruth Umoh, Fortune, 4 May 2026
That decision weakened coordination, diluted accountability and put politics in a space where execution matters most.
—Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 4 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
-
And what with all the love and pain, something in me softened—or maybe decayed.—
Eva Wiseman,
Vogue,
7 May 2026
-
And the Blue Monster was no longer a monster, not with everything softened by the rain.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 May 2026
Verb
-
As the sunlight faded on a cobblestone street, more than 200 students from New York University gathered at a table nearly as long as the city block.—
Susan Svrluga,
Washington Post,
6 May 2026
-
Meanwhile, the risks for ships and crew haven't faded.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 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
-
Though McCoy’s plot is often murkier than the polluted lake around which its events unfold, her voice, highly attuned to sensory experience, shines through.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
If canaries in coal mines were harbingers of safe conditions, surely piping plovers at Waukegan Beach mean the city is overcoming its polluted past.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
4 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 12 May. 2026.
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