adj
faint
faynt
adj
1
Barely perceptible; weak in intensity.
"There was a faint smell of smoke in the hallway."
"He gave only a faint smile."
2
Feeling weak or dizzy, as if about to lose consciousness.
"She felt faint after standing in the heat too long."
verb
1
To lose consciousness briefly, usually from lack of blood flow to the brain.
"He fainted at the sight of blood."
How to Use Faint
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishWeak or barely noticeable, or, as a verb, to briefly pass out.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "feint," a fake move in sports or fighting — they sound identical but are unrelated in meaning.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
faint smell
faint hope
feel faint
faint of heart
Word Forms
fainter comparative, fainted past tense, faints plural, faints singular, faintest superlative
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Etymology
From Old French faint/feint, "feigned" or "sluggish," ultimately from Latin fingere, "to shape or contrive" — a distant relative of "feign" and "fiction."