WEAK Synonyms: 289 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'weak' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of weak are decrepit , feeble , fragile , frail , and infirm . While all these words mean "not strong enough to endure strain, pressure, or strenuous effort," weak applies to deficiency or inferiority in strength or power of any sort. // felt weak after the surgery

Q: When is it sensible to use 'decrepit' instead of 'weak'?

The synonyms decrepit and weak are sometimes interchangeable, but decrepit implies being worn-out or broken-down from long use or old age. // the dowager's decrepit retainers

Q: In what contexts can 'feeble' take the place of 'weak'?

Although the words feeble and weak have much in common, feeble suggests extreme weakness inviting pity or contempt. // a feeble attempt to walk

Q: When might 'fragile' be a better fit than 'weak'?

While in some cases nearly identical to weak , fragile suggests frailty and brittleness unable to resist rough usage. // a reclusive poet too fragile for the rigors of this world

Q: When is 'frail' a more appropriate choice than 'weak'?

The meanings of frail and weak largely overlap; however, frail implies delicacy and slightness of constitution or structure. // a frail teenager unable to enjoy sports

Q: Where would 'infirm' be a reasonable alternative to 'weak'?

The words infirm and weak are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, infirm suggests instability, unsoundness, and insecurity due to old age or crippling illness. // infirm residents requiring constant care

weak

adjective

ˈwēk

Definition of weak

as in weakened

lacking bodily strength the little boy was simply too weak to lift the box

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in soft

lacking strength of will or character I was too weak to resist the free doughnuts in the office break room

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in thin

not containing very much of some important element the coffee came out too weak because I didn't use enough ground beans

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in unreasonable

not using or following good reasoning your argument is weak

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in helpless

unable to act or achieve one's purpose the vice president is a relatively weak official

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective weak contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of weak are decrepit, feeble, fragile, frail, and infirm. While all these words mean "not strong enough to endure strain, pressure, or strenuous effort," weak applies to deficiency or inferiority in strength or power of any sort.

felt weak after the surgery

When is it sensible to use decrepit instead of weak?

The synonyms decrepit and weak are sometimes interchangeable, but decrepit implies being worn-out or broken-down from long use or old age.

the dowager's decrepit retainers

In what contexts can feeble take the place of weak?

Although the words feeble and weak have much in common, feeble suggests extreme weakness inviting pity or contempt.

a feeble attempt to walk

When might fragile be a better fit than weak?

While in some cases nearly identical to weak, fragile suggests frailty and brittleness unable to resist rough usage.

a reclusive poet too fragile for the rigors of this world

When is frail a more appropriate choice than weak?

The meanings of frail and weak largely overlap; however, frail implies delicacy and slightness of constitution or structure.

a frail teenager unable to enjoy sports

Where would infirm be a reasonable alternative to weak?

The words infirm and weak are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, infirm suggests instability, unsoundness, and insecurity due to old age or crippling illness.

infirm residents requiring constant care

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of weak The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that the outbreak is possibly three times larger than the number of cases recorded, as surveillance and contact tracing are still weak. — Constant Same Bagalwa, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026 For Sacramento, the northern Sierra, and the lower Sacramento Valley, most of the showers will arrive Wednesday night and early Thursday — although they are expected to be weaker and more scattered. — Sean MacAday, Sacbee.com, 2 Sep. 2026 Living costs are high and hiring is weak while roughly 1 in 4 unemployed job seekers spends six months or more looking for work. — Jennifer Liu, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026 Mars challenges Saturn, exposing weak spots in schedules, instructions, or everyday communication. — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for weak

Recent Examples of Synonyms for weak

Adjective

Most often, those who do seek medical attention are people who are more susceptible to foodborne illnesses, such as children, older adults, pregnant people and people with weakened immune systems.

— Kimberly Baker, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026
Most people recover within several days, but infections can become serious for young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.

— Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of weakened

Adjective

Offer a realistic time, suggest a softer plan, and let honesty keep the connection easy.

— Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Aug. 2026
There has always been something compelling about Paul Baker, something about the interplay between his frat-star good looks and Canadian soft-boy heart.

— Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of soft

Adjective

Days turn crisp, aspens begin streaking the valley with gold and summer crowds thin in Grand Teton National Park.

— Brittany Anas, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Unlike mainstream fusion projects such as tokamaks, the Texatron does not rely on giant superconducting magnets to hold a thin gas in place for long periods.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of thin

Adjective

Y’know, the two living, breathing, helpless children forced to sit idle while their mother and (almost) step-father constantly and brazenly risk abandoning them.

— Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026
Muslims who are peace-loving and helpless also need a hand up.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of helpless

Adjective

Kenneth Branagh originated the somewhat aloof professor, who steps into the role after Professor Quirrell was revealed to be hosting the feeble Lord Voldemort on the back of his bald head.

— Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026
Instead of using a mirror to gather starlight, MOTHRA has many telephoto lenses, like those on a camera, which can capture faintly glowing wisps of gas and other feeble emanations across a wider field of view.

— Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of feeble

Adjective

Though Steinem had recently become more frail physically, her wit and humor remained totally intact.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
In the last decade, Jackson has paid a Miami company more than $35 million to discharge mostly frail patients with nowhere to go into assisted living beds.

— Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of frail

Adjective

Finally, the third recruits seaweed to gather minerals that are otherwise too dilute to chase.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 July 2026
Clean and disinfect your pruning shears between working on each plant by dipping them into a dilute 10% solution of chlorine bleach water or rubbing alcohol.

— Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 4 July 2026

Definition of dilute

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“Weak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weak. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of weak

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