Definition of weakens Weakens

We found 1 definitions of weakens from 1 different sources.

What does weakens mean?

Part of speech

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weakens, verb, present, 3rd person singular of weaken (infinitive).

WordNet

Verb weakens, weakening, weakened
weaken - lessen the strength of; "The fever weakened his body"
		beef up, strengthen, fortify gain strength; "His body strengthened"
		modify, alter, change make less severe or harsh or extreme; "please modify this letter to make it more polite"; "he modified his views on same-gender marriage"
		de-energise, de-energize deprive of energy
		break weaken or destroy in spirit or body; "His resistance was broken"; "a man broken by the terrible experience of near-death"
		devitalise, devitalize sap of life or energy; "The recession devitalized the economy"
		shake move with or as if with a tremor; "his hands shook"
		depress lessen the activity or force of; "The rising inflation depressed the economy"
		unbrace remove a brace or braces from
		etiolate make pale or sickly; "alcohol etiolates your skin"
		cripple, stultify deprive of the use of a limb, especially a leg; "The accident has crippled her for life"
		dilute, thin out, thin, reduce, cut lessen the strength or flavor of a solution or mixture; "cut bourbon"
		attenuate, rarefy become weaker, in strength, value, or magnitude
		blunt make less sharp; "blunt the knives"
		mollify, season, temper make less rigid or softer
		debilitate, enfeeble, drain make weak; "Life in the camp drained him"
		enervate weaken mentally or morally
		dampen lessen in force or effect; "soften a shock"; "break a fall"
		nullify, negate, neutralise, neutralize prove negative; show to be false
		emasculate, castrate remove the testicles of a male animal
		wash out lose color in the process of being washed; "The expensive shirt washed out in the German washing machine"
weaken - become weaker; "The prisoner's resistance weakened after seven days"
		strengthen gain strength; "His body strengthened"
		decrease, diminish, lessen, fall decrease in size, extent, or range; "The amount of homework decreased towards the end of the semester"; "The cabin pressure fell dramatically"; "her weight fell to under a hundred pounds"; "his voice fell to a whisper"
		attenuate become weaker, in strength, value, or magnitude
		disappear, evaporate, melt get lost, as without warning or explanation; "He disappeared without a trace"
		die down become progressively weaker; "the laughter died down"
		collapse lose significance, effectiveness, or value; "The school system is collapsing"; "The stock market collapsed"
		fade, melt become less clearly visible or distinguishable; disappear gradually or seemingly; "The scene begins to fade"; "The tree trunks are melting into the forest at dusk"
		lessen, subside wear off or die down; "The pain subsided"
		slur, dim, blur utter indistinctly
		pine away, languish, waste lose vigor, health, or flesh, as through grief; "After her husband died, she just pined away"
		dull make less lively or vigorous; "Middle age dulled her appetite for travel"
		pall lose strength or effectiveness; become or appear boring, insipid, or tiresome (to); "the course palled on her"
		loose, loosen, relax become loose or looser or less tight; "The noose loosened"; "the rope relaxed"
		slacken make slack as by lessening tension or firmness
		slow, slow up, slacken, slow down, slack become slow or slower; "Production slowed"
		wilt become limp; "The flowers wilted"
weaken - reduce the level or intensity or size or scope of; "de-escalate a crisis"
		de-escalate, step down
		escalate, step up, intensify increase in extent or intensity; "The Allies escalated the bombing"
		minify, decrease, lessen decrease in size, extent, or range; "The amount of homework decreased towards the end of the semester"; "The cabin pressure fell dramatically"; "her weight fell to under a hundred pounds"; "his voice fell to a whisper"
weaken - lessen in force or effect; "soften a shock"; "break a fall"
		dampen, damp, soften, break
		blunt, deaden make less sharp; "blunt the knives"
		deafen make soundproof; "deafen a room"
		damp, dampen, deaden restrain or discourage; "the sudden bad news damped the joyous atmosphere"
weaken - destroy property or hinder normal operations; "The Resistance sabotaged railroad operations during the war"
		sabotage, undermine, countermine, counteract, subvert
		disobey refuse to go along with; refuse to follow; be disobedient; "He disobeyed his supervisor and was fired"
		derail run off or leave the rails; "the train derailed because a cow was standing on the tracks"

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Wiktionary

weaken (Verb)
To make weaker.
weaken (Verb)
To become weaker.

Webster DictionaryWebster's Unabridged Dictionary 📘

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.
weaken (v. t.)
To reduce in quality, strength, or spirit; as, to weaken tea; to weaken any solution or decoction.
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.