1
as in to soften
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 to fade
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 to dilute
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
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Recent Examples of weaken
Wildfires raged near the lake in both 2019 and 2023 which could have weakened the soil.
—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 1 Aug. 2025
The job market weakened sharply during the late spring and early summer as President Trump's tariffs began to take effect.
—Scott Horsley, NPR, 1 Aug. 2025
However, market watchers told CNBC that while the euro may have further to weaken in the short term — particularly as the Federal Reserve remains cautious on reducing interest rates — several factors could restore its upward momentum, particularly heading into 2026.
—Jenni Reid, CNBC, 31 July 2025
Austin home prices are continuing to decline at a rate of nearly 5 percent as the real estate market reacts to rapid supply increases and weakening demand.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for weaken
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 1 Aug. 2025
The job market weakened sharply during the late spring and early summer as President Trump's tariffs began to take effect.
—Scott Horsley, NPR, 1 Aug. 2025
However, market watchers told CNBC that while the euro may have further to weaken in the short term — particularly as the Federal Reserve remains cautious on reducing interest rates — several factors could restore its upward momentum, particularly heading into 2026.
—Jenni Reid, CNBC, 31 July 2025
Austin home prices are continuing to decline at a rate of nearly 5 percent as the real estate market reacts to rapid supply increases and weakening demand.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for weaken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for weaken
Verb
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On the campaign trail, the president spent time courting faith leaders throughout the country, often refusing to soften his language in those venues as well.—
Lalee Ibssa,
ABC News,
14 July 2025
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By then, Trump had softened his tariff stance and the markets had rebounded accordingly.—
Kate Plummer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 July 2025
Verb
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Just after the clock struck midnight as Thursday night faded into Friday morning, the Texas House morphed into something of a graveyard.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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Some bulls on Wall Street see U.S. stocks turning in another year of huge gains as the worst fears of President Donald Trump’s trade war fade and the outlook on tariffs becomes more certain.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
29 July 2025
Verb
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Such critics are concerned that our approach might dilute the sense of urgency necessary and undermine public messaging.—
Francesco Rubino,
Time,
9 July 2025
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Fill the glass with ice, and repeat with the other glass. 3: Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, stir together the Earl Grey simple syrup, lime juice and smoked paprika until thoroughly chilled and diluted, about 15 seconds.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 July 2025
Verb
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Shooting comes 3 years after another incident The July 25 shooting comes less than three years after another fatal attack at a University of New Mexico housing building left one student dead and three campus visitors injured.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
25 July 2025
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Officials said the victim had broken bones and lacerations, but neither the victim’s boyfriend nor the dog were injured.—
Gershon Harrell,
Sun Sentinel,
24 July 2025
Verb
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This reaction forms harmful compounds known as advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which can damage collagen fibers and potentially promote wrinkles and sagging skin.8 5.—
Lauren Panoff,
Verywell Health,
25 July 2025
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Unlike cheaper chairs at this price point (even the Snow Peak!), the mesh lets air flow through and conforms to your body without soaking or sagging.—
Chris Haslam,
Wired News,
16 July 2025
Verb
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On July 22, the hospital confirmed the patient died from the infection A child in South Carolina has died after being infected with a rare brain-eating amoeba, state health officials confirmed.—
Vanessa Etienne,
People.com,
23 July 2025
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In a study published July 22 in Nature Communications, researchers report that living through the pandemic aged our brains—whether or not you were infected with COVID-19.—
Alice Park,
Time,
22 July 2025
Verb
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Dear Eric: My 30-year-old son is severely physically disabled due to a debilitating muscle disease.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
31 July 2025
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By 15, new symptoms began to appear — including debilitating migraines.—
Jordan Greene,
People.com,
28 July 2025
Verb
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In 2022, Lenn Catley's heart began to fail because of amyloidosis, a buildup of proteins from his liver that attacked his heart.—
Nicole Villalpando,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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The offensive line failed to generate a lot of push and the ground game couldn’t gain a ton of yards past the line of scrimmage.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
29 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Weaken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weaken. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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