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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in faded
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 diluted
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 weakened
Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025
While most healthy people can recover in four to seven days without treatment, some vulnerable people, like children under 5, adults 65 and older, and those with weakened immune systems, may experience more severe illness that requires medical treatment or hospitalization.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
With such vaccines, called whole-virus vaccines, a person’s immune system is presented with the whole virus, often in weakened or inactivated form.
—Deborah Fuller, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
Due to the fall, Dakota suffered severe head trauma, several brain bleeds, fractures on his skull, deep wounds to his body and weakened kidneys.
—Brian Anthony Hernandez, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
With such vaccines, called whole-virus vaccines, a person’s immune system is presented with the whole virus, often in weakened or inactivated form.
—Deborah Fuller, The Conversation, 3 Sep. 2025
Minor gastrointestinal discomfort is probably the most common symptom; however, pathogens that may cause only minor sickness in some people may cause serious conditions or death in others, especially in the very young, old, or those with weakened immune systems.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 29 Aug. 2025
People with weakened immune systems are candidates for antifungal medication.
—Bay Area News Group, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2025
That’s because FluMist is made from weakened forms of the live virus.
—Alice Park, Time, 15 Aug. 2025
Anniek Bao, CNBC, 19 Sep. 2025
Key News Asian equities were mixed/lower overnight as Hong Kong, Mainland China, and the Philippines stood out as relative bright spots while the US dollar weakened versus the Asia Dollar Index.
—Brendan Ahern, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Along the Parkway, thousands of trees fell, debris covered the road, facilities were damaged, and multiple landslides resulted in loss of road segments and weakened structural integrity.
—Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2025
Mario was located south-southwest of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, on Tuesday afternoon and had weakened into a tropical depression.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Sep. 2025
Childhood illnesses had severely weakened her own heart.
—Ruchi Kumar, NPR, 14 Sep. 2025
Since then, the legal safeguards against such encounters have weakened.
—Sydney Barragan, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
Florida Democrats, weakened by years of losses and fractured messaging, continue to face a shrinking electorate.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 10 Sep. 2025
The past two months’ job reports and a slew of recent employment data have made clear that America’s labor market has substantially weakened.
—Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Severe infections are particularly dangerous for young children, elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems.
—Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025
While most healthy people can recover in four to seven days without treatment, some vulnerable people, like children under 5, adults 65 and older, and those with weakened immune systems, may experience more severe illness that requires medical treatment or hospitalization.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
With such vaccines, called whole-virus vaccines, a person’s immune system is presented with the whole virus, often in weakened or inactivated form.
—Deborah Fuller, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
Due to the fall, Dakota suffered severe head trauma, several brain bleeds, fractures on his skull, deep wounds to his body and weakened kidneys.
—Brian Anthony Hernandez, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
With such vaccines, called whole-virus vaccines, a person’s immune system is presented with the whole virus, often in weakened or inactivated form.
—Deborah Fuller, The Conversation, 3 Sep. 2025
Minor gastrointestinal discomfort is probably the most common symptom; however, pathogens that may cause only minor sickness in some people may cause serious conditions or death in others, especially in the very young, old, or those with weakened immune systems.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 29 Aug. 2025
People with weakened immune systems are candidates for antifungal medication.
—Bay Area News Group, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2025
That’s because FluMist is made from weakened forms of the live virus.
—Alice Park, Time, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
While the greenback has depreciated against other major currencies this year, with the dollar index tumbling over 10%, those currencies have also weakened in value relative to gold, Dalio said, noting that gold has become the second largest reserve currency globally.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 19 Sep. 2025
Key News Asian equities were mixed/lower overnight as Hong Kong, Mainland China, and the Philippines stood out as relative bright spots while the US dollar weakened versus the Asia Dollar Index.
—Brendan Ahern, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Along the Parkway, thousands of trees fell, debris covered the road, facilities were damaged, and multiple landslides resulted in loss of road segments and weakened structural integrity.
—Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2025
Mario was located south-southwest of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, on Tuesday afternoon and had weakened into a tropical depression.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Sep. 2025
Childhood illnesses had severely weakened her own heart.
—Ruchi Kumar, NPR, 14 Sep. 2025
Since then, the legal safeguards against such encounters have weakened.
—Sydney Barragan, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
Florida Democrats, weakened by years of losses and fractured messaging, continue to face a shrinking electorate.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 10 Sep. 2025
The past two months’ job reports and a slew of recent employment data have made clear that America’s labor market has substantially weakened.
—Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for weakened
Adjective
-
The ultrarich formula uses amino acids to reinforce weak strands, glycerin to hydrate and soften, silicones to smooth the cuticle, and coconut oil to add more moisture and shine.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
-
China’s economy showed further signs of weakness last month, with key data Monday revealing factory output and consumption rising at their weakest pace for around a year.—
Nino Paoli,
Fortune,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
India’s own vast outsourcing industry has also depended on the work permits for decades, even though that has softened in recent years.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
21 Sep. 2025
-
The complex’s two towers reinterpret Aman’s signature serenity in an urban setting, wrapped in warm timber and softened by 10 acres of botanical gardens and open space.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
But those glasses never really took off and eventually faded away.—
Cortney Harding,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
-
The study found that entering the workforce during a recession was associated with a roughly 10% reduction in wages in the first year of employment, an effect that mostly faded after seven years after graduation.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
However, this formula is diluted enough to be safe for use.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Brand Voice And Messaging Automation in marketing can backfire when brand voice is diluted or empathy is lost.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The river will still become polluted after heavy rainfalls due to runoff from the streets and flushing of city sewage systems.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Discharge of polluted water and discarded electronic components into rivers, groundwater supplies, landfills, or unregulated recycling facilities results in the hazardous materials gradually seeping into surrounding soil and water systems.—
Michaela Rychetska,
JSTOR Daily,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Ali stumbled, throwing a feeble, off-balance uppercut to the space where Frazier had just stood.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Absent a terrible decision by Matt Williams to send that runner in the 9th when Pages was barely beyond second base, Pages once again did more harm than good—and that’s more than can be said of Teo, whose ABs grow more feeble by the night.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Vogue’s Favorite Gold Necklaces Featured in this article With an endless array of iterations—from thin, barely-there metallic strands to bolder, statement-making chains that instantly command attention—gold chain necklaces are some of the best gold jewelry pieces to add to your collection.—
Samantha Solomon,
Vogue,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Maternal health remains under-researched compared to other therapeutic areas, and the pharmaceutical pipeline is thin—just 91 compounds in development, versus thousands for areas like neurology or dermatology.—
Shelley Stewart III,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Texans were up 28-21, and Keller had exhausted all of its timeouts.—
Jordan Neal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Defense lawyers could still file appeals, but once those challenges are exhausted, the ruling becomes final and any prison terms can be enforced.—
Michael Rios,
CNN Money,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Weakened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weakened. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share