1
as in softens
to diminish the physical strength of
weeks of hardship in the desert had greatly weakened them
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fades
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 dilutes
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 weakens
Subtract what weakens the system.
—
Nilton Bernini, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Teams evolve at different speeds, innovation concentrates among a small subset of employees, and trust across the organization weakens.
—Matt Rosenbaum, Fortune, 29 May 2026
That erodes trust in the fairness of our elections and weakens confidence in our democracy.
—The Editorial Board, Daily News, 29 May 2026
Removing enforcement was shortsighted and weakens the entire public safety system.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 27 May 2026
Gravity weakens with the square of the distance between the two, so a star that was on the far side of the Milky Way from the edge-on collision point would feel a much less powerful gravitational attraction than a star on the near side would.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 22 May 2026
When that balance weakens, access and opportunity are at risk.
—U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 May 2026
An easy monetary policy typically weakens a country’s currency, making exports cheaper and potentially supports growth in the face of tariffs.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 23 Dec. 2024
Doing so weakens your home's heating system and is a fire hazard.
—Rabekah Henderson, Southern Living, 20 Dec. 2024
Nilton Bernini, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Teams evolve at different speeds, innovation concentrates among a small subset of employees, and trust across the organization weakens.
—Matt Rosenbaum, Fortune, 29 May 2026
That erodes trust in the fairness of our elections and weakens confidence in our democracy.
—The Editorial Board, Daily News, 29 May 2026
Removing enforcement was shortsighted and weakens the entire public safety system.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 27 May 2026
Gravity weakens with the square of the distance between the two, so a star that was on the far side of the Milky Way from the edge-on collision point would feel a much less powerful gravitational attraction than a star on the near side would.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 22 May 2026
When that balance weakens, access and opportunity are at risk.
—U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 May 2026
An easy monetary policy typically weakens a country’s currency, making exports cheaper and potentially supports growth in the face of tariffs.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 23 Dec. 2024
Doing so weakens your home's heating system and is a fire hazard.
—Rabekah Henderson, Southern Living, 20 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for weakens
Verb
-
Due to its semi-transparency, the facade invites the shifting sky and the green hues of the surrounding forest canopy into the interior, creating an environment that softens the line between inside and out.—
Bridget Borgobello
May 31,
New Atlas,
31 May 2026
-
Back in April, Bieber debuted a vanilla French glaze manicure thats softens the sharp contrast of a typical French mani.—
Charley Ross,
Glamour,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Jeans then usually go through finishing treatments to create different shades, fades and distressed textures.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 May 2026
-
Its effectiveness fades quickly outdoors, so combining methods works best.—
Melissa Epifano,
The Spruce,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Cynical congressional map dilutes Black voting power to target a kingmaker.—
Kathleen Parker,
Washington Post,
15 May 2026
-
The complaint also claims that the image deceives customers into thinking Lipa has endorsed the product and dilutes her brand identity.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
As a result, the tournament typically sags in the middle, as neither comes close to losing.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
-
The roof flakes, the porch sags.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Powdery mildew fungi are host-specific, meaning each fungal species only infects specific plant species.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
25 May 2026
-
Orthoebolaviruses are also known to cause hemorrhagic fever, in which the virus infects specific immune cells, triggering a massive inflammatory response that can lead to internal bleeding and organ failure.—
Claire Maldarelli,
Scientific American,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
The project honors Monroe, but sees her, first and almost exclusively, as a victim, one who Eddie Redmayne’s gentle production assistant tries and fails to save.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
1 June 2026
-
If, however, the discount fails to attract more customers, the retailer stands to lose money.—
Michael T. Nietzel,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Instead a galaxy’s distribution of stars thins out farther from the center.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
29 May 2026
-
Refilling the rotation thins out the bullpen, which usually has to cover more innings after lesser starters, and all of those daily workload decisions compound.—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
Jerry Lanuzza, associate professor at Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte, North Carolina, explains how to store alcohol, whether alcohol goes bad, and how long different types will last.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
29 May 2026
-
Competitive pay and flexibility matter, but the opportunity for companies goes further.—
Liz Elting,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Weakens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weakens. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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