WEAKEN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does weaken mean? 

• WEAKEN (verb)
  The verb WEAKEN has 5 senses:

1. lessen the strength of

2. become weaker

3. destroy property or hinder normal operations

4. reduce the level or intensity or size or scope of

5. lessen in force or effect

  Familiarity information: WEAKEN used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• WEAKEN (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they weaken    ... he / she / it weakens   
Past simple: weakened   
Past participle: weakened   
-ing form: weakening   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Lessen the strength of

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

The fever weakened his body

Hypernyms (to "weaken" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Cause:

weaken (become weaker)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "weaken"):

wash out (deplete of strength or vitality)

castrate; emasculate (deprive of strength or vigor)

negate; neutralise; neutralize; nullify (make ineffective by counterbalancing the effect of)

shake (undermine or cause to waver)

dampen (reduce the amplitude (of oscillations or waves))

enervate (weaken mentally or morally)

debilitate; drain; enfeeble (make weak)

moderate; mollify; season; temper (make more temperate, acceptable, or suitable by adding something else)

blunt (make less intense)

attenuate; rarefy (weaken the consistency of (a chemical substance))

cut; dilute; reduce; thin; thin out (lessen the strength or flavor of a solution or mixture)

cripple; stultify (deprive of strength or efficiency; make useless or worthless)

etiolate (make weak by stunting the growth or development of)

unbrace (remove a brace or braces from)

depress (lessen the activity or force of)

devitalise; devitalize (sap of life or energy)

break (weaken or destroy in spirit or body)

de-energise; de-energize (deprive of energy)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Antonym:

strengthen (make strong or stronger)

Derivation:

weakener (that which weakens or causes a loss of strength)

weakening (the act of reducing the strength of something)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Become weaker

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

The prisoner's resistance weakened after seven days

Hypernyms (to "weaken" is one way to...):

decrease; diminish; fall; lessen (decrease in size, extent, or range)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "weaken"):

disappear; evaporate; melt (become less intense and fade away gradually)

attenuate (become weaker, in strength, value, or magnitude)

wilt (lose strength)

slack; slacken; slow; slow down; slow up (become slow or slower)

slacken (become looser or slack)

loose; loosen; relax (become loose or looser or less tight)

pall (lose strength or effectiveness; become or appear boring, insipid, or tiresome (to))

dull (make less lively or vigorous)

languish; pine away; waste (lose vigor, health, or flesh, as through grief)

blur; dim; slur (become vague or indistinct)

lessen; subside (wear off or die down)

fade; melt (become less clearly visible or distinguishable; disappear gradually or seemingly)

collapse (lose significance, effectiveness, or value)

die down (become progressively weaker)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Antonym:

strengthen (gain strength)

Derivation:

weakening (becoming weaker)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Destroy property or hinder normal operations

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

counteract; countermine; sabotage; subvert; undermine; weaken

Context example:

The Resistance sabotaged railroad operations during the war

Hypernyms (to "weaken" is one way to...):

disobey (refuse to go along with; refuse to follow; be disobedient)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "weaken"):

derail (cause to run off the tracks)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Reduce the level or intensity or size or scope of

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

de-escalate; step down; weaken

Context example:

de-escalate a crisis

Hypernyms (to "weaken" is one way to...):

decrease; lessen; minify (make smaller)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

weakener (that which weakens or causes a loss of strength)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Lessen in force or effect

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

break; damp; dampen; soften; weaken

Context example:

break a fall

Hypernyms (to "weaken" is one way to...):

blunt; deaden (make less lively, intense, or vigorous; impair in vigor, force, activity, or sensation)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "weaken"):

deafen (make soundproof)

damp; dampen; deaden (make vague or obscure or make (an image) less visible)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

weakener (that which weakens or causes a loss of strength)

 Context examples 

This results in the weakening of the bacterial cell wall and causes cell lysis.

(Cefaclor, NCI Thesaurus)

It is usually a result of a weakened immune system, but can be a side effect of chemotherapy or treatment with antibiotics.

(Candidiasis, NCI Dictionary)

It usually occurs in people with lung diseases or weakened immune systems.

(Aspergillosis, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

A weakened form of the bacterium Mycobacterium bovis (bacillus Calmette-Guerin) that does not cause disease.

(BCG Vaccine, NCI Dictionary)

"I'll tell you where you are wrong, or, rather, what weakens your judgments," he said.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

This leads to a weakening of the bacterial cell wall, eventually causing bacterial cell lysis.

(Apalcillin, NCI Thesaurus)

Device problems due to the weakening or breakdown of its material when subjected to stress or a series of repeated stresses.

(Device Fatigue Problem Evaluation Result, Food and Drug Administration)

When all was over I could see how much Arthur was weakened.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

If you have a weakened immune system, your doctor may prescribe antiviral medicine.

(Cytomegalovirus Infections, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

The solution is made from a weakened form of the bacterium Mycobacterium bovis (bacillus Calmette-Guerin) that does not cause disease but stimulates the body's immune system.

(BCG solution, NCI Dictionary)