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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of weaken
But by playing exclusively to his leftist alliance, Johnson may be weakening his reelection chances, our research shows.
—
Will Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2025
An assessment of earnings reports from some of the biggest global beauty companies released over the past few weeks indicates that the cracks that first appeared around 18 months ago when Chinese demand weakened are beginning to deepen across geographies and categories.
—Kathryn Hopkins, WWD, 25 Feb. 2025
In the bond market, Treasury yields fell after a report said sales at U.S. retailers weakened by much more last month than economists expected.
—Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2025
His executive order, unless reversed by the courts, will encourage greater corruption in Latin America, hurting the region’s economies, weakening democratic institutions and making countries poorer.
—Andres Oppenheimer, Miami Herald, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for weaken
Will Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2025
An assessment of earnings reports from some of the biggest global beauty companies released over the past few weeks indicates that the cracks that first appeared around 18 months ago when Chinese demand weakened are beginning to deepen across geographies and categories.
—Kathryn Hopkins, WWD, 25 Feb. 2025
In the bond market, Treasury yields fell after a report said sales at U.S. retailers weakened by much more last month than economists expected.
—Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2025
His executive order, unless reversed by the courts, will encourage greater corruption in Latin America, hurting the region’s economies, weakening democratic institutions and making countries poorer.
—Andres Oppenheimer, Miami Herald, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for weaken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for weaken
Verb
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The new tariffs on Canada and Mexico had previously been on a monthlong pause, and many critics hoped that they would be softened, or eliminated, before their deadline to resume.—
Kevin Breuninger,
CNBC,
5 Mar. 2025
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Notes of sandalwood, seaweed, amber, and sea salt get a bit of a masculine edge from fir that’s then softened with feminine rose, all of which sit very close to the skin.—
Emily Orofino,
Vogue,
5 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The easy, and true, earlier justifications about who attacked whom, and about whether Vladimir Putin should be allowed free rein of Europe, faded into cliché.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
The New Yorker,
7 Mar. 2025
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But when Yvonne develops troubling symptoms from a tick bite, the rural paradise fades away revealing a breeding ground for a disturbing new life.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Brands dilute their messaging to reach the widest audience possible.—
Angelique Kuiper,
Rolling Stone,
5 Mar. 2025
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While the absence of inclusion for people of color, women, and the economically disadvantaged remains painfully evident, true inclusion could potentially dilute the distinct cultural characteristics that have enriched our communities and our nation.—
Lewis M. Rambo,
Twin Cities,
2 Mar. 2025
Verb
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And in February, a driver plowed into a protest group in Munich injuring at least 28 people.—
Rachel McRady,
People.com,
3 Mar. 2025
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One person died and five people were injured during a multi-vehicle crash in Fort Worth Sunday evening, March 2, police said.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The different firmness levels ensure that the mattress will never sag, regardless of the sleeper’s body type.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
27 Feb. 2025
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Finally, King notes, check the basement or crawlspace for damp areas, standing water, mold, or sagging floor joists.—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
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This highly sophisticated malware has now infected 1,590,299 Android TV devices across 226 countries, transforming them into anonymous proxy servers for illicit activities.—
Alex Vakulov,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
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Before there was a vaccine in 1963, measles infected millions and killed hundreds of people in the U.S. every year.—
Dr. Jade Cobern,
ABC News,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
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This transition from theoretical to practical confrontation is all but debilitating, as the grieving father reaches the limits of his empathy.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
24 Feb. 2025
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Adding to that, Hader (who, in reality, suffered from debilitating anxiety on the show) was every bit the glue Hartman was, his precise and steady comic rhythm and timing the unwavering metronome that sketch after sketch played along to.—
Dennis Perkins,
EW.com,
16 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Despite being aware of the cellmate’s dangerous behavior, staff failed to intervene, according to a lawsuit.—
Stories by Real-Time News team, with AI summarization,
Miami Herald,
7 Mar. 2025
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Because this isn’t a video file, a media player will fail to play it.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes,
7 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Weaken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weaken. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
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