as in deterioration
a gradual sinking and wasting away of mind or body
the all-too-apparent weakening of our grandfather was hard on our mother
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in draining
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in softening
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 fading
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 diluting
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 weakening
Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 2 Jan. 2026
One is the weakening of the American economy.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 31 Dec. 2025
As previously reported by The Center Square, the most recent report showed the state’s job market weakening, with a loss of 2,000 jobs and more people leaving the labor force.
—Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 29 Dec. 2025
Each company may believe that silence is the safest strategy, but the collective effect is a weakening of institutions that strengthen democracy and the economy.
—Andrew Winston, Fortune, 21 Dec. 2025
The main band of rain on Friday will be concentrated in the North Bay, moving south during the afternoon and weakening, the Weather Service said.
—Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 19 Dec. 2025
The weakening enables cold, dense Arctic air to slip southward into the United States, setting the stage for harsh cold spells and abrupt shifts in weather patterns.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2025
What is being proposed is the restoration of democratic order in Venezuela, the dismantling of a drug cartel, the reactivation of the oil industry and, most importantly, the weakening of the dangerous influence of China, Russia, and Iran in the Western Hemisphere.
—Arturo McFields, The Hill, 26 Nov. 2025
Joanne Hsu, who directs the survey, said households remain discouraged by high prices and weakening incomes.
—Benzinga, Freep.com, 22 Nov. 2025
Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 9 Jan. 2026
This suggests consumers enter 2026 with continuing concerns over high prices and weakening labor market conditions.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Jan. 2026
Oversupply and weakening consumer demand have been causing milk, butter and cheese prices on the wholesale market and at the grocery store to fall slightly.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 8 Jan. 2026
Battalions were reassigned from Zulia, Barinas and Miranda states, weakening local military structures to reinforce the presidential core.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2026
This destabilizes the landscape, weakening steep slopes and damaging critical infrastructure.
—Paul Bierman, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
Both years were considered La Niña phases, but 2026's La Niña is weakening, thus the warmer-than-normal weather.
—Jordan Green, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 6 Jan. 2026
In Venezuela, after years of government restrictions weakening independent media, citizens rely on social platforms, international outlets and a shrinking number of local journalists for uncensored information.
—Rachel Barber, USA Today, 5 Jan. 2026
South Africa’s rand is on track for its biggest annual jump in 16 years, as policy reforms compounded with a weakening dollar drew investors to Africa’s biggest economy.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 2 Jan. 2026
Noun
While the economy has been resilient for the most part, any weakening in 2026 could have an outsize effect on more price-sensitive consumers and, therefore, airlines that are more exposed to coach-class domestic travel, like lower-cost carriers.
—Verb
Milk, butter and cheese prices on the wholesale market and at grocery stores have decreased slightly due to oversupply and weakening consumer demand.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for weakening
Noun
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With the deterioration and rise of crime in South Beach in the late 1970s, as well as inflation and the shrinking tourist business, the Famous was forced to close in 1981.—
-
While analysts do not expect the rift to escalate into direct conflict, even a limited deterioration could carry far-reaching consequences.—
Adjective
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Long periods of socializing, like a weeklong conference, can feel far more draining than shorter events.—
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By aligning strategic work with those rhythms, productivity can feel more natural and less draining.—
Verb
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Each of the eight luxurious scents is packed with softening coconut oil and shea butter.—
-
Fischer especially recommends making sound-softening updates in rooms with higher ceilings, open layouts, and hardwood flooring, all of which can amplify echo and reverb.—
Verb
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But her role as fading movie star Kay Stone in Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme, opposite Timothée Chalamet, marks her grand return.—
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The days of underground stashes and whispered conversations are fading fast.—
Verb
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The Olympics’ ability to spread itself out without diluting its iconic character will be worth following all February long.—
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The smell will fade overtime as the blinds begin to dry, but diluting vinegar with water helps minimize the potency of the scent.—
Adjective
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Austen and Tate lived together in a small apartment until Austen’s arthritis proved too debilitating.—
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Over the next three years, Lia would develop a perplexing, debilitating, and persistent set of symptoms.—
Verb
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Don’t bother wasting your money—using it more than once a day won’t yield ‘better’ or faster results.—
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People become paralyzed by choice and the risk of wasting time on something bad.—
Verb
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The fragile skeleton of her ego threatened to snap under the pressure of the animal forces that pressed down on her consciousness, her narrative mind sagging and distended beneath pitiless and grandiose feeling.—
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With age, the body’s natural collagen supplies decline, which can result in sagging, crepey skin.—
Cite this Entry
“Weakening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weakening. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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