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
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Relevance
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2
as in weak
lacking bodily strength
left weakened by a prolonged illness
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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
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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
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1
as in softened
to diminish the physical strength of
weeks of hardship in the desert had greatly weakened them
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2
as in faded
to lose bodily strength or vigor
the bodybuilder weakened once she eased off on her workouts
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of weakened
Phil Wahba, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in infants, young children, older people, pregnant persons, and those with weakened immune systems.
—Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 5 Jan. 2026
The fungus poses the greatest risk to people who are already critically ill, particularly those on ventilators or with weakened immune systems.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 3 Jan. 2026
Young children and people with weakened immune systems may be contagious for longer periods of time.
—Nakell Williams, CBS News, 2 Jan. 2026
Rarely, more vulnerable groups — like people with weakened immune systems, and the very old and very young — can develop severe infection, which could progress to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 29 Dec. 2025
Add replacement components as needed, touch up paint, and reinforce weakened areas.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 28 Dec. 2025
Avoid areas with weakened trees.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 24 Dec. 2025
However, the bacteria can cause serious, potentially fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.
—Jenna Anderson, Health, 23 Dec. 2025
Stephen J. Beard, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
The years of horrific violence have weakened Sudan, plunging its institutions into chaos and making its population more vulnerable and poorer.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
Additionally, infrastructure already weakened by previous flooding may be increasingly unreliable.
—Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
Over the past three decades, changes within the liberal democratic world have weakened the appeal of this system, including for many Americans.
—Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
Murphy and Roberston devote their first act to the series of Conference of the Parties (COP) summits that preceded the climactic negotiations in Kyoto in 1997, which instituted a framework, severely weakened by compromise, for international cooperation on reducing emissions.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2025
His paws began to knuckle and his back legs weakened.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025
With projects bracing for termination, mission teams broken apart and safety protocols weakened, the guardrails that once kept NASA from repeating its worst tragedies are being stripped away in real time.
—Josh Dinner, Space.com, 31 Oct. 2025
The group has seen a revival in the past four years, after counterterrorism campaigns significantly weakened it around a decade ago.
—NPR, 31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Lord & Taylor shut all its stores in 2019 after HBC sold the weakened retailer, and Hudson’s Bay in Canada liquidated last year, ending its 355-year run.
—Verb
With some estimates putting wave heights as much as 35 feet, weakened hatch covers would have been vulnerable to such waves.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for weakened
Adjective
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New orders contracted for a fourth month and export bookings remained weak, based on the ISM data.—
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Getting too little of either can lead to weak, brittle bones, and too much can also cause problems (like kidney stones or nausea).—
Verb
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Add bell pepper, onion, scallions; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes.—
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But that’s also true of every Democrat who won on Tuesday — including Mamdani himself, who has softened some of his stances on policing including past calls to defund the NYPD and build no new jails.—
Verb
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Once the flowers have faded, trim the stalks 1 to 2 inches above the bulb, retaining the green foliage.—
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The Lakers faded down the stretch to 27 points from the Spurs’ Keldon Johnson and 16 points and 14 rebounds by Victor Wembanyama.—
Verb
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The Department of Justice sued Texas in 2021, alleging its maps diluted minority voting power, but the case ended before any ruling.—
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Bleach should never be used on a mattress, even if it's diluted.—
Adjective
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The state also has an above average number of polluted waterways and more coal ash ponds — small, toxic water bodies near coal plants where poisonous refuse is discarded — than any other state.—
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Webster believes that Bongino and Patel have become polluted by the same swamp that Trump has again and again vowed to clean up.—
Adjective
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The reality is that although Venezuela has vast reserves—about 17% of the entire planet’s oil is under Venezuelan soil—its production is feeble.—
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The hottest quarterback right now is Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, who had his career-best day last week against the feeble Jets.—
Adjective
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The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control.—
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Yimobra Memory Foam Bath Mat, $9 with Prime The bath mat is made from memory foam that feels plush underfoot and cushions each step, unlike thin cotton mats.—
Verb
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Wilson’s departure leaves Mizzou without both of its starting edge rushers from last season, as Zion Young exhausted his eligibility.—
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Back and forth, back and forth, until both are exhausted.—
Cite this Entry
“Weakened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weakened. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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