faint

1 of 3

adjective

fainter; faintest
1
a
: hardly perceptible : dim
faint handwriting
b
: vague sense 2a
haven't the faintest idea
2
: weak, dizzy, and likely to faint
sick and faint from the painJack London
3
: lacking courage and spirit : cowardly
faint of heart
4
: lacking strength or vigor : performed, offered, or accomplished weakly or languidly
faint praise
a faint smile on her lips
5
: producing a sensation of faintness : oppressive
the faint atmosphere of a tropical port
faintish adjective
faintishness noun
faintly adverb
faintness noun

faint

2 of 3

verb

fainted; fainting; faints

intransitive verb

1
: to lose consciousness because of a temporary decrease in the blood supply to the brain
2
archaic : to lose courage or spirit
3
archaic : to become weak

faint

3 of 3

noun

: the physiological action of fainting
also : the resulting condition : syncope sense 1

Examples of faint in a Sentence

Adjective We heard a faint noise. the faint glow of a distant light There was a faint smile on her lips. There's just a faint chance that the weather will improve by tomorrow. a faint reminder of their former greatness I'd better lie down; I feel faint. She felt faint from hunger. Verb He always faints at the sight of blood. She almost fainted from the pain. She suffers from fainting spells. Noun shocking news can cause a person to fall into a faint
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Spoiler alert: Other than a faint resemblance to a carbonated cola beverage, the flavor doesn't taste like the OG cola at all. Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Apr. 2024 The earbuds cut the droning bass tones of the fan entirely, leaving only a faint breeze. Mark Knapp, PCMAG, 11 Apr. 2024 Officials used claims often cited by fluoride opponents, such as potential environmental contamination, concerns about medical freedom, and possible adverse health effects, like the potential for the appearance of faint white lines on the teeth and lowered IQ for babies. Melba Newsome, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2024 While totality is the main event, a few dots of light may also be visible in the sky near the eclipse, belonging to Jupiter, Venus, Mars and the faint light from Saturn. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 8 Apr. 2024 Shadow bands are faint, rapidly moving bands of light and dark that can be seen on the sides of buildings or the ground. Simmone Shah, TIME, 8 Apr. 2024 During a total solar eclipse, the corona comes into view as faint wisps around a glowing halo when the moon blocks light from the sun’s surface. Maura Barrett, NBC News, 8 Apr. 2024 Orange pustules on the undersides of leaves, and faint yellow or orange spots on the top surface of the leaves. Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2024 The market signal from carbon buyers is still faint. Lydia Depillis, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Verb
While watching Yasuda and Jules drain fluid from abscess, Doug fainted in the hallway and Hunt raced to get in on gurney. Stephanie Wenger, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024 Behrens provided histrionics, declaring a hunger strike and fainting in the courtroom. Jack Kresnak, Detroit Free Press, 21 Jan. 2024 Medics attending to fans and spectators who had fallen, fainted or had other medical problems. Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 15 Feb. 2024 In the early 1920s, a woman in La Crosse, Wisconsin, fainted upon learning that death would install itself so close to home. Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 2 Feb. 2024 Firefighters reported over a thousand fans fainted due to the heat and those who vomited, a sign of dehydration, were offered assistance. Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 18 Nov. 2023 The tech entrepreneur, 73, fainted while attending the World Business Forum (WBF) in Mexico City on Wednesday, a source told CNN En Español. Gabrielle Rockson, Peoplemag, 9 Nov. 2023 But that line can vary in intensity from strong to faint. Sam Jones, Scientific American, 19 Dec. 2023 Scientists suspect that when people faint, their parasympathetic response becomes exaggerated, so their heart rate, blood pressure and breathing slow down too much. Aria Bendix, NBC News, 3 Nov. 2023
Noun
The struggle is real at times and definitely not for the faint at heart. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 31 Jan. 2024 German chocolate cakes are known for being rich desserts, so this homemade chocolate cake recipe is not one for the faint of taste buds. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 27 Oct. 2023 The presto of the third was kept extra-presto, with beguiling feints (or faints?) of volume in the repeating theme of the strings. Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 13 May 2023 Such belonging is not for the faint of checkbook. Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2023 In a recent video on the Buff Dudes channel, bodybuilder and YouTuber Hudson White spends the day eating and working out like Jackman, and soon finds that the Wolverine routine is not for the faint of heart. Philip Ellis, Men's Health, 4 Apr. 2023 However, purchasing claims is not for the faint of heart, says Thomas Braziel, founder of 507 Capital, an investment company that specializes in distressed debt, which holds a large position in the Mt. Gox bankruptcy and others. WIRED, 30 Mar. 2023 But, don't be fooled as this puzzle isn't for the faint of heart. Jamie Spain, Good Housekeeping, 14 Feb. 2023 The first half wasn’t for the faint of heart. Chris Solari, Detroit Free Press, 12 Feb. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'faint.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English feint, faynt "deceiving, false, lacking in spirit or courage, listless, wearied, feeble, pale," borrowed from Anglo-French, "deceiving, false, lacking in spirit, weak," from present participle of feindre, faindre "to make, fabricate, pretend, dissemble, lose heart, fade" — more at feign

Verb

Middle English feinten, faynten "to pretend, lack spirit, become enfeebled, grow weak, fade," verbal derivative of feint, faynt "deceiving, lacking in spirit, wearied" — more at faint entry 1

Noun

noun derivative of faint entry 2

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1792, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of faint was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near faint

Cite this Entry

“Faint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/faint. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

faint

1 of 3 adjective
1
: timid, cowardly
faint heart
2
: being weak, dizzy, and likely to collapse
feel faint
3
: lacking strength : weak
faint praise
4
a
: not clear or plain : dim
faint cries for help
b
: vague sense 2
haven't the faintest idea
faintly adverb
faintness noun

faint

2 of 3 verb
: to lose consciousness

faint

3 of 3 noun
: an act or condition of fainting

Medical Definition

faint

1 of 3 adjective
: weak, dizzy, and likely to faint

faint

2 of 3 intransitive verb
: to lose consciousness because of a temporary decrease in the blood supply to the brain

faint

3 of 3 noun
: the physiological action of fainting
also : the resulting condition : syncope

More from Merriam-Webster on faint

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