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weaken - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'weaken' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Weaken [ v. i.]
- To become weak or weaker; to lose strength, spirit, or determination; to become less positive or resolute; as, the patient weakened; the witness weakened on cross-examination.
2 . Weaken [ v. t.]
- To make weak; to lessen the strength of; to deprive of strength; to debilitate; to enfeeble; to enervate; as, to weaken the body or the mind; to weaken the hands of a magistrate; to weaken the force of an objection or an argument.
- To reduce in quality, strength, or spirit; as, to weaken tea; to weaken any solution or decoction.

Meaning of 'weaken' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . weaken [ v]
Meaning (1):
- lessen in force or effect
Example in sentence:
  • break a fall;
  • soften a shock
Meaning (2):
- reduce the level or intensity or size or scope of
Example in sentence:
  • de-escalate a crisis
Meaning (3):
- lessen the strength of
Example in sentence:
  • The fever weakened his body
Meaning (4):
- become weaker
Example in sentence:
  • The prisoner's resistance weakened after seven days;
  • The sound faded out
Meaning (5):
- destroy property or hinder normal operations
Example in sentence:
  • The Resistance sabotaged railroad operations during the war

Nearby Words:

weak weak-hearted weak-kneed weak-minded weakened weakener weakening weakfish weakish weakishness

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