Word forms: comparative fainter, superlative faintest, plural, 3rd person singular presenttense faints, present participle fainting, past tense, past participle fainted
1. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
A faint sound, colour, mark, feeling, or quality has very little strength or intensity.
He became aware of the soft, faint sounds of water dripping.
The room held the faint, sweet odour of pipe tobacco.
He could see faint lines in her face.
There was still the faint hope deep within him that she might never need to know.
Synonyms: dim, low, light, soft More Synonyms of faint
faintlyadverb [usually ADVERB after verb, oft ADVERB adjective]
He was already asleep in the bed, which smelled faintly of mildew.
She felt faintly ridiculous.
Synonyms: softly, weakly, feebly, in a whisper More Synonyms of faint
Synonyms: slightly, rather, a little, somewhat More Synonyms of faint
2. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
A faint attempt at something is one that is made without proper effort and with little enthusiasm.
Caroline made a faint attempt at a laugh.
A faint smile crossed the Monsignor's face and faded quickly.
Ten years ago today the U.S. Center for Disease Control published the first faintwarnings of a worldwide epidemic.
Synonyms: slight, weak, feeble, unenthusiastic More Synonyms of faint
faintlyadverb [ADVERB after verb]
John smiled faintly and shook his head.
Synonyms: softly, weakly, feebly, in a whisper More Synonyms of faint
3. verb
If you faint, you lose consciousness for a short time, especially because you are hungry, or because of pain, heat, or shock.
She suddenly fell forward on to the table and fainted. [VERB]
I thought he'd faint when I kissed him. [VERB]
Synonyms: pass out, black out, lose consciousness, keel over [informal] More Synonyms of faint
Faint is also a noun.
She slumped to the ground in a faint.
4. adjective [verb-link ADJECTIVE]
Someone who is faint feels weak and unsteady as if they are about to lose consciousness.
Other signs of angina are nausea, sweating, feeling faint and shortness of breath.
Synonyms: dizzy, giddy, light-headed, vertiginous More Synonyms of faint
faintnessuncountable noun
One patient suffered headaches, nausea, and faintness.
Synonyms: weakness, dizziness, dimness, languor More Synonyms of faint
More Synonyms of faint
faint in British English
(feɪnt)
adjective
1.
lacking clarity, brightness, volume, etc
a faint noise
2.
lacking conviction or force; weak
faint praise
3.
feeling dizzy or weak as if about to lose consciousness
4.
without boldness or courage; timid (esp in the combination faint-hearted)
5. not the faintest
verb(intransitive)
6.
to lose consciousness, esp momentarily, as through weakness
7. archaic or poetic
to fail or become weak, esp in hope or courage
noun
8.
a sudden spontaneous loss of consciousness, usually momentary, caused by an insufficient supply of blood to the brain
Technical name: syncope
Derived forms
fainter (ˈfainter)
noun
faintingly (ˈfaintingly)
adverb
faintish (ˈfaintish)
adjective
faintishness (ˈfaintishness)
noun
faintly (ˈfaintly)
adverb
faintness (ˈfaintness)
noun
Word origin
C13: from Old French, from faindre to be idle
faint in American English
(feɪnt)
adjective
1.
without strength; weak; feeble
2.
without courage or hope; timid
3.
done without strength, vigor, or enthusiasm; halfhearted
4.
feeling weak and dizzy, as if about to swoon
5.
dim; indistinct; unclear
6.
far from certain
a faint chance
noun
7.
a condition of temporary loss of consciousness as a result of an inadequate flow of blood to the brain; swoon
8. [pl.]
the crude, impure spirits given off in the first and last stages of the distillation of liquor
verb intransitive
9.
to fall into a faint; swoon
often with away
10. Archaic
a.
to weaken; languish
b.
to lose courage or hope
Derived forms
faintish (ˈfaintish)
adjective
faintly (ˈfaintly)
adverb
faintness (ˈfaintness)
noun
Word origin
ME feint < OFr, sluggish, orig. pp. of feindre: see feign
More idioms containing
faint
damn with faint praise
Examples of 'faint' in a sentence
faint
Not for the faint of heart, but ridiculously cheap.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It is a faint hope.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
For the first time, all the European nations can look at these fixtures not with faint hope but with proper expectation.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
I become dizzy and faint when I walk past them because the urge to knock them over is so unbelievably strong.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This list is not for the faint of heart.
Christianity Today (2000)
Such things have a faint whiff of murder.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
None of us had the faintest idea what was about to take place.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
When the writing is at its most mundane we feel faint biblical echoes in the background.
The Times Literary Supplement (2014)
There may also be the faint patter of drizzle on canvas.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
To catch and carry out those who fainted in the heat.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
One volunteer fainted when they discovered a body.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
There was one faint hope that they would see the light.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Beech trees are showing the first faint signs of spring.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
This is no time for faint hearts.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Most would agree that the spuds would carry the faint whiff of moral complicity.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The sudden change of focus gave me a moment's faint nausea.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
There's a scratching noise and your voice is so faint.
Len Deighton Bomber
Her face had a little faint colour in it, and the very exhaustion after the examination gave it a peaceful look.
Elizabeth Gaskell North and South (1855)
Typically, apart from faint nausea, the drug has not the slightest effect on me.
various & introduction by Deirdre Chapman A Roomful of Birds - Scottish short stories 1990 (1990)
I almost fainted with shock!
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
I became faint and weak.
The Sun (2016)
What to say I'm feeling a little faint.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In other languages
faint
British English: faint /feɪnt/ ADJECTIVE
Something that is faint is not strong or intense.
...the soft, faint sound of water.
American English: faint
Arabic: ضَعِيف
Brazilian Portuguese: débil
Chinese: 微弱的
Croatian: slab
Czech: slabý
Danish: svag
Dutch: zwak
European Spanish: débil color
Finnish: heikko vähäinen
French: faible
German: schwach
Greek: εξασθενημένος
Italian: debole
Japanese: かすかな
Korean: 희미한
Norwegian: svak
Polish: słaby
European Portuguese: débil
Romanian: vag
Russian: тусклый
Latin American Spanish: tenue
Swedish: svag
Thai: เจือจาง
Turkish: zayıf ışık, ses vb
Ukrainian: слабкий
Vietnamese: yếu ớt
British English: faint /feɪnt/ VERB
If you faint, you lose consciousness for a short time, especially because you are hungry, or because of pain, heat, or shock.
She suddenly fell forward on to the table and fainted.
American English: faint
Arabic: أُغْمِيَ عَلَيْه يبهت
Brazilian Portuguese: desmaiar
Chinese: 昏倒
Croatian: onesvijestiti se
Czech: omdlít
Danish: besvime
Dutch: flauwvallen
European Spanish: desmayarse
Finnish: pyörtyä
French: s’évanouir
German: in Ohnmacht fallen
Greek: λιποθυμώ
Italian: svenire
Japanese: 気絶する
Korean: 기절하다
Norwegian: besvime
Polish: zemdleć
European Portuguese: desmaiar
Romanian: a leșina
Russian: падать в обморок
Latin American Spanish: desmayarse
Swedish: svimma
Thai: เป็นลม
Turkish: bayılmak
Ukrainian: зомлівати
Vietnamese: ngất
All related terms of 'faint'
faint smell
The smell of something is a quality it has which you become aware of when you breathe in through your nose .
faint sound
A sound is something that you hear.
faint-hearted
If you describe someone or their behaviour as faint-hearted , you mean that they are not very confident and do not take strong action because they are afraid of failing .
faint-heartedly
nervously
faint-heartedness
lack of courage
faint-ruled paper
writing paper with light horizontal lines printed across at regular intervals
the faint-hearted
people of a nervous disposition
damn with faint praise
If someone damns something with faint praise , they say something about it which sounds quite nice but is not enthusiastic , and shows that they do not have a high opinion of it.
not for the faint-hearted
If you say that something is not for the faint-hearted , you mean that it is an extreme or very unusual example of its kind, and is not suitable for people who like only safe and familiar things.
Chinese translation of 'faint'
faint
(feɪnt)
adj
[sound, light, smell, hope]微弱的 (wēiruò de)
[recollection, smile]淡淡的 (dàndàn de)
[mark, trace]隐(隱)约(約)的 (yǐnyuē de)
[breeze]轻(輕)柔的 (qīngróu de)
n(c)
(Med) 昏倒 (hūndǎo)
vi
(Med) 晕(暈)倒 (yūndǎo)
to feel faint感到眩晕(暈) (gǎndào xuànyūn)
1 (adjective)
Definition
lacking clarity, brightness, or volume
He became aware of the soft, faint sounds of water dripping.
Synonyms
dim
His torch picked out the dim figures.
low
Her voice was so low he had to strain to catch it.
light
a light breeze
soft
When he woke again he could hear soft music.
She spoke in a soft whisper.
thin
Her thin voice rose high in complaint.
faded
a girl in a faded dress
whispered
distant
Last year's drought is a distant memory.
dull
The box closed with a dull thud.
delicate
The colours are delicate and tasteful.
vague
He could just make out a vague shape in the distance.
unclear
muted
subdued
The conversation around them was resumed, but in subdued tones.
faltering
hushed
At first we spoke in hushed voices.
bleached
feeble
indefinite
a person of indefinite age
muffled
She heard a muffled cough behind her.
hazy
The air was filled with hazy sunshine and frost.
ill-defined
staff with ill-defined responsibilities
indistinct
The lettering is fuzzy and indistinct.
Opposites
clear
,
strong
,
powerful
,
bright
,
loud
,
distinct
,
conspicuous
2 (adjective)
Definition
lacking clarity, brightness, or volume
She made a faint attempt at a laugh.
Synonyms
slight
It's only made a slight difference.
weak
He managed a weak smile and said, `Don't worry about me.'
feeble
This is a feeble argument.
unenthusiastic
remote
The chances of his surviving are pretty remote.
slim
a slim chance
vague
slender
the first slender hope of peace
3 (adjective)
Definition
lacking conviction or force
He let his arm flail out in a faint attempt to grab the rope.
Synonyms
timid
A timid child, she had learnt obedience at an early age.
weak
The evidence against him was too weak to hold up in court.
feeble
He said the Government had been feeble.
lame
He mumbled some lame excuse about having gone to sleep.
unconvincing
He was given the usual unconvincing excuses.
unenthusiastic
timorous (literary)
He is a reclusive, timorous creature.
faint-hearted
The voters may be ready to punish the politicians who devised a faint-hearted solidarity pact.
spiritless
half-hearted
Joanna had made one or two half-hearted attempts to befriend her.
lily-livered (old-fashioned)
Opposites
brave
,
bold
,
courageous
4 (adjective)
Definition
feeling dizzy or weak
Other signs of angina are nausea, feeling faint and shortness of breath.
Synonyms
dizzy
She felt slightly dizzy.
giddy
He felt giddy and light-headed.
light-headed
Your blood pressure will drop and you may feel light-headed.
vertiginous
weak
I was too weak to move my arms and legs.
exhausted
She was too exhausted even to think clearly.
fatigued
faltering
wobbly
drooping
languid
He's a large languid man with a round and impassive face.
lethargic
He felt too miserable and lethargic to get dressed.
muzzy
Her ear is still a bit sore and she feels muzzy.
woozy (informal)
weak at the knees
enervated
Warm winds make many people feel enervated and depressed.
Opposites
fresh
,
vigorous
,
energetic
,
hearty
(verb)
Definition
to lose consciousness
I thought he'd faint when he heard the news.
Synonyms
pass out
She nearly passed out with exhaustion.
black out
He felt so ill that he blacked out.
lose consciousness
keel over (informal)
I keeled over and fell flat on my back.
fail
He was 93 and his health was failing rapidly.
go out
collapse
There were people in the streets collapsing from hunger.
fade
After that all her worries faded away.
weaken
The storm was finally beginning to weaken.
Family structures are weakening and breaking up.
languish
swoon (literary)
flake out (informal)
If he flakes out, cover him with a blanket.
(noun)
Definition
a sudden loss of consciousness
She slumped on the ground in a faint.
Synonyms
blackout
I suffered a blackout which lasted for several minutes.
collapse
A few days after his collapse he was sitting up in bed.
coma
She had slipped into a coma by the time she reached the hospital.
swoon (literary)
unconsciousness
He knew that he might soon lapse into unconsciousness.
syncope (pathology)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of black out
He felt so ill that he blacked out.
Synonyms
pass out,
drop,
collapse,
faint,
swoon,
lose consciousness,
keel over (informal),
flake out (informal),
become unconscious
in the sense of collapse
Definition
to fall down from lack of strength, exhaustion, or illness
There were people in the streets collapsing from hunger.
Synonyms
faint,
break down,
pass out,
black out,
swoon (literary),
crack up (informal),
keel over (informal),
flake out (informal)
in the sense of collapse
A few days after his collapse he was sitting up in bed.