WEAKENED Synonyms: 319 Similar and Opposite Words

weakened 1 of 2

adjective

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

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as in weak

lacking bodily strength left weakened by a prolonged illness

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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

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as in thin

not containing very much of some important element some experts recommend that runners drink a weakened mixture of juice and water

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weakened

2 of 2

verb

past tense of weaken

as in softened

to diminish the physical strength of weeks of hardship in the desert had greatly weakened them

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as in faded

to lose bodily strength or vigor the bodybuilder weakened once she eased off on her workouts

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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

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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

Adjective

Most often, those who do seek medical attention are people who are more susceptible to foodborne illnesses, such as children, older adults, pregnant people and people with weakened immune systems. — Kimberly Baker, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026 Most people recover within several days, but infections can become serious for young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026 Some people—especially children younger than 5, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems—may experience more severe illnesses that require medical treatment or hospitalization. — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 24 Aug. 2026 However, Alt was limited to just six games after dealing with multiple ankle injuries, leaving the Chargers' offensive line in a weakened state. — Ryan Canfield Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2026 Salmonella can also cause serious, and sometimes fatal, infections in young children, elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. — Jenna Anderson, HEALTH, 18 Aug. 2026 Now, some fear a weakened Voting Rights Act could cause those gains to be reversed, Tamar Hallerman reports. — Adam Beam, AJC.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Children under five, older adults and people with weakened immune systems face the greatest risk of severe illness. — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2026 Older adults and people with weakened immune systems faced a higher risk of severe illness. — Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 11 Aug. 2026

Verb

Today, the yen has weakened 57% from a low of about 103 in January 2021 to a high of 163 in July, before a rare joint intervention from both Washington and Tokyo strengthened the currency to its current levels of about 160. — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026 Sprout Social's 2026 Influencer Marketing Report found that recommendation feeds have weakened the link between follower count and reach. — Zoe Huang, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026 If Canada, Mexico, and the United States turn on one another, each will be weakened in the one economic fight that really matters. — Chad P. Bown, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2026 The bigger challenge will be the capacity to deliver results with a US diplomatic apparatus weakened by staffing cuts and vacancies. — Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 31 Aug. 2026 As Bitcoin’s value fell, Strategy’s holdings became less valuable, while its ability to raise fresh cash to continue its purchases weakened. — Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026 Riggs said the Teamsters’ safety argument is weakened by the inconsistent safety record of human truck drivers, who have fallen asleep at the wheel or driven while distracted or otherwise impaired. — Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026 The dollar value of the minimum wage has fallen from about $105 to $86 since late March as the rial has weakened significantly. — Hamidreza Azizi, Time, 29 Aug. 2026 At the start of the year, the Iranian regime was weakened, fending off protesters internally. — Caroline Mimbs Nyce, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for weakened

Adjective

In Wilmington, officials are looking into why a couple of polluted tidal creeks in the area are struggling to recover despite restoration efforts.

— Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026
But flood control cut off that supply, replacing it with polluted canals.

— Jenny Staletovich, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of polluted

Adjective

The heat has caused a fall in nuclear generation, with power plants forced to shut down or reduce production across the region, while wind power generation has been weak over the summer.

— Jenni Reid, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
The state financial watchdog attributed the disbursement problems to administrative delays, weak project management, and late counterpart funding from the Congolese government.

— Ruben Nyanguila, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of weak

Adjective

Days turn crisp, aspens begin streaking the valley with gold and summer crowds thin in Grand Teton National Park.

— Brittany Anas, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Unlike mainstream fusion projects such as tokamaks, the Texatron does not rely on giant superconducting magnets to hold a thin gas in place for long periods.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of thin

Verb

Despite its small stature, this mini table's design—with its dramatic sloping base and softened top—packs a punch.

— Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 27 Aug. 2026
Now, after ongoing discussions with FIFA, that stance has reportedly softened, with UEFA reportedly receiving reassurances that such a project will never be attempted again.

— Ben Church, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of softened

Verb

Their content together, appearances, red carpet moments, casual clips of them out in Los Angeles, has kept fans invested in their story past the finale, extending the shelf life of a couple that could otherwise have faded once the season ended.

— Olivia Shalhoup, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
The next major episode of persistent trade imbalances was the rare case in which the imbalances faded away without causing major disruption.

— MICHAEL PETTIS, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of faded

Verb

The opposition filing also said the company’s brand would be diluted in terms of distinction in the market by the applicant’s mark.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026
This paradox—a longing for beauty to be distributed equally, even though it cannot be diluted for ease of distribution, and might even require rarity—is why the period continues to fascinate me.

— Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of diluted

Adjective

Finally, the third recruits seaweed to gather minerals that are otherwise too dilute to chase.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 July 2026
Clean and disinfect your pruning shears between working on each plant by dipping them into a dilute 10% solution of chlorine bleach water or rubbing alcohol.

— Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 4 July 2026

Definition of dilute

Adjective

Instead of using a mirror to gather starlight, MOTHRA has many telephoto lenses, like those on a camera, which can capture faintly glowing wisps of gas and other feeble emanations across a wider field of view.

— Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2026
By an act of war, committed with the participation of a diplomatic representative of the United States and without authority of Congress, the Government of a feeble but friendly and confiding people has been overthrown.

— Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of feeble

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weaken

weakened

weakening

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“Weakened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weakened. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of weakened

adjective

verb

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