weaken Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb lessen the strength of
    • The fever weakened his body
  2. verb become weaker
    • The prisoner's resistance weakened after seven days
  3. verb destroy property or hinder normal operations
    countermine; subvert; counteract; sabotage; undermine.
    • The Resistance sabotaged railroad operations during the war
  4. verb reduce the level or intensity or size or scope of
    step down; de-escalate.
    • de-escalate a crisis
  5. verb lessen in force or effect
    break; damp; dampen; soften.
    • soften a shock
    • break a fall

WordNet

Weak"en transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Weakened ; present participle & verbal noun Weakening
Definitions
  1. 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.
    Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Neh. vi. 9.
  2. To reduce in quality, strength, or spirit; as, to weaken tea; to weaken any solution or decoction.
Weak"en intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. 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. "His notion weakens, his discernings are lethargied." Shak.

Webster 1913