as in deterioration
a gradual sinking and wasting away of mind or body
the all-too-apparent weakening of our grandfather was hard on our mother
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in draining
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in softening
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 fading
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 diluting
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 weakening
Reuters, NBC news, 6 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, a parade of economic data released Thursday seemed to suggest a sharper weakening of the labor market than analysts had expected.
—Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 5 Feb. 2026
Analysts predict elevated prices for precious metals could continue well into 2026, driven by global uncertainty, weakening currencies and soaring industrial demand.
—Kristine Lazar, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
Ghaddar said Hezbollah’s weakening has shifted Lebanese public discourse.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 3 Feb. 2026
Leveling threats of tariffs on adversaries and allies alike has been relatively easy, but the result has been a weakening of the economy and American trade ties, and a crumbling of the old global-trade system.
—David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2026
This weakening of the teeth of the apex predators could affect the broader marine ecosystem, too.
—Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 26 Jan. 2026
Developers are divided about how much this signals a weakening of what has been a scorchingly hot market for new multifamily housing.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 13 Jan. 2026
Affordability has become a potent political issue, especially with the job market weakening.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Nevertheless, proponents of the theory have suggested without evidence that the substation’s electromagnetic fields could be damaging players’ soft tissues and weakening their tendons.
—Aria Bendix, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
Macroeconomic worries stem from stubborn inflation and a weakening job market, among other factors.
—Carlos Garcia, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026
Tackle Early Weeds The damaging effect of weeds is not limited to weakening garden plants by reducing air flow and competing for soil, space, and water.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Feb. 2026
In overwhelmingly Democratic districts, the outcome is almost always predetermined, further depressing turnout and weakening accountability.
—Grace Rauh, New York Daily News, 3 Feb. 2026
This persistence troubled certain foreign powers that, at various moments, had supported the Islamic Republic in the hope of weakening Iran as a nation.
—Shahrnush Parsipur, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
The dismantling of Section 2 would open the floodgates for widespread vote dilution by allowing primarily Southern state legislatures to redraw political districts, weakening the voting power of racial minorities.
—Robert D. Bland, The Conversation, 3 Feb. 2026
Ali Safavi, a senior official with the National Council of Resistance of Iran, said the images were aimed less at reassuring the public than at boosting morale among the regime’s weakening security forces.
—Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 2 Feb. 2026
Noun
France said an agreement between states with the biggest nuclear arsenals was crucial, at a time when there is an unprecedented weakening of nuclear norms.
—Reuters, NBC news, 6 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, a parade of economic data released Thursday seemed to suggest a sharper weakening of the labor market than analysts had expected.
—Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 5 Feb. 2026
Analysts predict elevated prices for precious metals could continue well into 2026, driven by global uncertainty, weakening currencies and soaring industrial demand.
—Kristine Lazar, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
Ghaddar said Hezbollah’s weakening has shifted Lebanese public discourse.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 3 Feb. 2026
Leveling threats of tariffs on adversaries and allies alike has been relatively easy, but the result has been a weakening of the economy and American trade ties, and a crumbling of the old global-trade system.
—David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2026
This weakening of the teeth of the apex predators could affect the broader marine ecosystem, too.
—Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 26 Jan. 2026
Developers are divided about how much this signals a weakening of what has been a scorchingly hot market for new multifamily housing.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 13 Jan. 2026
Affordability has become a potent political issue, especially with the job market weakening.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
Verb
But the big problem is why the dollar is weakening.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Nevertheless, proponents of the theory have suggested without evidence that the substation’s electromagnetic fields could be damaging players’ soft tissues and weakening their tendons.
—Aria Bendix, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
Macroeconomic worries stem from stubborn inflation and a weakening job market, among other factors.
—Carlos Garcia, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026
Tackle Early Weeds The damaging effect of weeds is not limited to weakening garden plants by reducing air flow and competing for soil, space, and water.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Feb. 2026
In overwhelmingly Democratic districts, the outcome is almost always predetermined, further depressing turnout and weakening accountability.
—Grace Rauh, New York Daily News, 3 Feb. 2026
This persistence troubled certain foreign powers that, at various moments, had supported the Islamic Republic in the hope of weakening Iran as a nation.
—Shahrnush Parsipur, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
The dismantling of Section 2 would open the floodgates for widespread vote dilution by allowing primarily Southern state legislatures to redraw political districts, weakening the voting power of racial minorities.
—Robert D. Bland, The Conversation, 3 Feb. 2026
Ali Safavi, a senior official with the National Council of Resistance of Iran, said the images were aimed less at reassuring the public than at boosting morale among the regime’s weakening security forces.
—Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 2 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for weakening
Noun
-
The report identifies three massive, offsetting policy developments as the primary drivers of this fiscal deterioration.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The complaint includes several photographs of deterioration and hazards.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Long periods of socializing, like a weeklong conference, can feel far more draining than shorter events.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
28 Oct. 2025
-
By aligning strategic work with those rhythms, productivity can feel more natural and less draining.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Williams did not explicitly mention tennis, or any sport, in her Super Bowl advert for Ro, but her focus on movement and wellbeing in the context of her softening position on the possibility of a comeback was striking.—
James Hansen,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
On most prestige shows, a friendship between two women from disparate backgrounds would serve as an emotional anchor, softening both characters.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In the crushing depths of the ocean or the vacuum of deep space, one of the key threats to technology is the fading battery.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Amid the recent furore, that trust and respect seem to be all but fading.—
Billy Stockwell,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Individuals close to Bass confirmed her involvement in diluting the report.—
Barnini Chakraborty,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Feb. 2026
-
In the Texas case, by contrast, the DOJ had argued a lower court got it wrong when ruling the new Texas map likely discriminated against racial minorities by diluting the voting power of Hispanic and Black Texans.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), even mild cases of measles can be severe and debilitating.—
Doris Alvarez Cea,
Florida Times-Union,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Just south of those areas, a debilitating and destructive ice storm that will undoubtedly shut down airports and entire cities for days leaving millions without power.—
Terry Eliasen,
CBS News,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This low-budget-looking spot was way more successful than the company's previous 2000 Super Bowl ad, the one that bragged about wasting 2 million bucks while showing a monkey dancing on a bucket.—
Debby Wolfinsohn,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Feb. 2026
-
When Ali Ansari was 12, living with his family in a single room at his aunt’s house in Woodland Hills, his immigrant mother told him to stop wasting time staring at his phone and try making money with it.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Body oils can help tighten the look of mildly sagging or crepey skin by improving hydration and overall skin health.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Also, to watch for sagging ridgelines, drooping ceilings, water leaks on interior walls and ceilings, jammed doors, cracked interior walls near the center of the home and creaking sounds, according to State Farm.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Weakening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weakening. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
