weaken

verb

SayWEE-kuhn/ˈwikən/

Formsweakens, weakening, weakened

2 meanings of weaken

1
verbtransitive
To make something less strong than it was before.
Like letting air out of a tire little by little, so it can no longer hold much weight.
Too much rain can weaken the roots of a young tree.
The long illness weakened her body over many months.
Similarundermine, erode, sap, diminish, impair
Oppositestrengthen, reinforce, bolster, fortify
2
verbintransitive
To slowly become less strong than before.
Like a fire that slowly dies down until it gives off almost no heat.
The storm began to weaken as it moved inland.
His grip weakened after hours of climbing.
Similarwane, decline, fade, diminish, dwindle
Oppositestrengthen, grow, intensify

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Origin

From the word "weak" plus the ending "-en".