weaken
verb /ˈwiːkən/
/ˈwiːkən/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they weaken | /ˈwiːkən/ /ˈwiːkən/ |
| he / she / it weakens | /ˈwiːkənz/ /ˈwiːkənz/ |
| past simple weakened | /ˈwiːkənd/ /ˈwiːkənd/ |
| past participle weakened | /ˈwiːkənd/ /ˈwiːkənd/ |
| -ing form weakening | /ˈwiːkənɪŋ/ /ˈwiːkənɪŋ/ |
- [transitive, intransitive] weaken (somebody/something) to make somebody/something less strong or powerful; to become less strong or powerful
- The team has been weakened by injury.
- The new evidence weakens the case against her.
- This new story has severely weakened the President’s position.
- His authority is steadily weakening.
Extra Examples- The British pound continued to weaken against the dollar.
- The division of Germany had served to weaken the party.
- The military was badly weakened by the sanctions.
- The regime was fatally weakened by the unrest and violence.
- a move designed to weaken the rebels
- exchange rates that dramatically weakened the dollar
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- considerably
- greatly
- seriously
- …
- begin to
- start to
- continue to
- …
- [transitive, intransitive] weaken (something) to make something less physically strong; to become less physically strong
- The explosion had weakened the building's foundations.
- His health was weakened by overwork.
- She felt her legs weaken.
Extra ExamplesTopics Illnessc1- The explosion had weakened the building's foundations considerably.
- She felt her legs weaken further as she climbed higher up the slope.
- He began to weaken as his opponent continued the onslaught.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- considerably
- greatly
- seriously
- …
- begin to
- start to
- continue to
- …
- [intransitive, transitive] to become or make somebody become less determined or certain about something
- You must not agree to do it. Don't weaken.
- weaken something Nothing could weaken his resolve to continue.
Extra ExamplesTopics Doubt, guessing and certaintyc1- The judgement serves to weaken public confidence in the courts.
- She felt herself beginning to weaken in the face of his persuasion.
- [intransitive] (of a natural force) to become less strong
- The storm eventually weakened.
- [intransitive, transitive] (of a country's currency or economy) to become less strong; to make a currency or economy less strong
- weaken (against something) The dollar has weakened against the euro.
- weaken something measures that could weaken the economy