Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive & intransitive verb To make or become weak or weaker.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To become weak or weaker: as, he weakens from day to day.
  • To make weak or weaker; lesson or reduce the strength, power, ability, influence, or quality of: as, to weaken the body or the mind; to weaken a solution or infusion by dilution; to weaken the force of an argument.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • intransitive verb To become weak or weaker; to lose strength, spirit, or determination; to become less positive or resolute.
  • transitive verb To make weak; to lessen the strength of; to deprive of strength; to debilitate; to enfeeble; to enervate.
  • transitive verb To reduce in quality, strength, or spirit.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb transitive To make weaker.
  • verb intransitive To become weaker.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb become weaker
  • verb destroy property or hinder normal operations
  • verb reduce the level or intensity or size or scope of
  • verb lessen in force or effect
  • verb lessen the strength of

Etymologies

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Examples

  • My dad was the strongest man on earth, and watching him weaken is terrifying, but losing him?

    If Prayers Were Horses, Grievers Would Ride - Her Bad Mother 2010

  • But by the late 18th and early 19th centuries, that empire was beginning to weaken from a series of financially ruinous European wars, the cost of supplying and fortifying their outposts in the Americas, piracy and other factors.

    Exhibit Explores New York's Latin Roots 2010

  • But by the late 18th and early 19th centuries, that empire was beginning to weaken from a series of financially ruinous European wars, the cost of supplying and fortifying their outposts in the Americas, piracy and other factors.

    Exhibit Explores New York's Latin Roots 2010

  • But by the late 18th and early 19th centuries, that empire was beginning to weaken from a series of financially ruinous European wars, the cost of supplying and fortifying their outposts in the Americas, piracy and other factors.

    Exhibit Explores New York's Latin Roots 2010

  • "We're starting to see those spreads weaken, which is indicating to us that we are going to start using some of that crude oil," says Darin Newsom, chief commodities analyst at DTN in Omaha, Neb.

    One Day's Rebound in Oil Prices 2009

  • But this system is actually going to continue to weaken, which is some great news.

    CNN Transcript Oct 11, 2009 2009

  • Based on an average won-dollar rate of 904 won, CJ Investment & Securities has projected Hyundai to post an operating profit of 409.4 billion won on sales of 7.7 trillion won in the first quarter, although it expects the won to weaken, which is a benefit for Hyundai.

    Hyundai Motor Net Falls, 2008

  • You don't want the muscles to weaken, which is what happens when you rest and do nothing.

    NYT > Home Page By JANE E. BRODY 2011

  • You don't want the muscles to weaken, which is what happens when you rest and do nothing.

    NYT > Home Page By JANE E. BRODY 2011

  • Woe to the makers of literal translations, who by rendering every word weaken the meaning!

    The Greenbelt 2008

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