weaken

[ wee-kuhn ]
/ ˈwi kən /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR weaken ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

to make weak or weaker.
Phonetics. to change (a speech sound) to an articulation requiring less effort, as from geminate to nongeminate or from stop to fricative.

verb (used without object)

to become weak or weaker.

Origin of weaken

First recorded in 1520–30; weak + -en1

OTHER WORDS FROM weaken

weak·en·er, noun re·weak·en, verb un·weak·ened, adjective un·weak·en·ing, adjective

Words nearby weaken

weak sister, weak-headed, weak-kneed, weak-minded, weak-willed, weaken, weaker sex, weakest link, weakfish, weakhanded, weakhearted

Words related to weaken

depress, lower, dilute, halt, decline, dwindle, lessen, wane, reduce, cripple, soften, impair, decrease, abate, diminish, sap, undermine, invalidate, debilitate, limp

Example sentences from the Web for weaken

British Dictionary definitions for weaken

weaken
/ (ˈwiːkən) /

verb

to become or cause to become weak or weaker

Derived forms of weaken

weakener, noun