verb B2 Upper-Intermediate Uncommon

weaken

WEE-kuhn

Weaken (verb) means to make something less strong. Example: “Years of neglect had weakened the foundation.”

verb

To make something less strong.

"Years of neglect had weakened the foundation."

"The scandal weakened his position within the party."

To become less strong.

"Her resolve weakened as the deadline approached."

How to use weaken

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo make or become weaker.

Common pairings

weaken resistance weaken the economy weaken over time

weakened past tense, weakens singular

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Test yourself on “weaken” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Can you complete this real example?

Years of neglect had _____ the foundation.

Formed from "weak" plus the verb-forming suffix "-en," the same pattern as "strengthen" or "sharpen."

attenuate blunt break down dilute enfeeble hebetate sag

money focus explain frank reduce load pointed sharp

taken waken shaken Kraken forsaken mistaken overtaken godforsaken

What does “weaken” mean?

The word “weaken” means to make something less strong. In plain terms, to make or become weaker.

How do you pronounce “weaken”?

“Weaken” is pronounced WEE-kuhn (/ˈwikən/ in IPA).

How do you use “weaken” in a sentence?

Here is “weaken” used in a sentence: “Years of neglect had weakened the foundation.”

What is another word for “weaken”?

Words with a similar meaning to “weaken” include attenuate, blunt, break down, dilute, enfeeble and hebetate.

What part of speech is “weaken”?

“Weaken” is a verb.

Is “weaken” a common word?

“Weaken” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

How many meanings does “weaken” have?

“Weaken” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to make something less strong.

money focus explain frank reduce load pointed sharp