Definitions

weak

[week] / wik /

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not strong adj.
cowardly adj.
faint, soft adj.
deficient, feeble adj.
exposed, vulnerable adj.
watered-down adj.

ADJECTIVE

not strong

Synonyms

STRONGEST

anemic feeble fragile frail hesitant powerless shaky sickly sluggish uncertain unsteady weakened wobbly

WEAK

debilitated decrepit delicate effete enervated epicene exhausted faint flaccid flimsy forceless impuissant infirm insubstantial irresolute lackadaisical languid languorous limp makeshift out of gas prostrate puny rickety rocky rotten senile spent spindly supine torpid undependable unsound unsubstantial wasted wavering weakly

Antonyms

STRONGEST

healthy hearty powerful stable strong unbreakable

WEAK

capable fit potent

ADJECTIVE

cowardly

Synonyms

STRONGEST

hesitant indecisive ineffectual insecure nervous powerless shaky soft uncertain unstable wobbly

WEAK

faint-hearted fluctuant frightened impotent infirm irresolute nerveless spineless timorous undependable unreliable unsure vacillating wavering weak-kneed wimpy wishy-washy zero

Antonyms

WEAK

bold brave confident

ADJECTIVE

faint, soft

Synonyms

STRONGEST

dull feeble low poor quiet small thin

WEAK

bated dim distant gentle imperceptible inaudible indistinct muffled pale reedy slight stifled unaccented unstressed whispered

Antonyms

WEAK

loud noisy

ADJECTIVE

deficient, feeble

Synonyms

STRONGEST

immature inadequate incomplete ineffective ineffectual inept lacking limited poor shaky slim small thin

WEAK

faulty flabby flimsy forceless green hollow implausible impotent improbable incompetent inconceivable inconclusive incredible invalid pathetic raw shallow slight spineless substandard thick unbelievable unconvincing unprepared unqualified unsatisfactory unsubstantial unsure untrained wanting

Antonyms

STRONGEST

able adequate competent enough strong sufficient

WEAK

capable fit potent

ADJECTIVE

exposed, vulnerable

Synonyms

WEAK

accessible assailable defenseless helpless indefensible unguarded unprotected unsafe untenable wide-open woundable

Antonyms

WEAK

able fit guarded potent protected safe secure

ADJECTIVE

watered-down

Synonyms

STRONGEST

thin

WEAK

dilute diluted insipid milk-and-water runny tasteless washy waterish watery wishy-washy

Antonyms

WEAK

concentrated potent strong thick

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for weak?

Weak means not strong. A synonym for weak in the context of physical strength is feeble. A person might also be considered weak as in cowardly or easily defeated. Something that can easily break can be described as fragile or delicate. When a sick or very tired person says they feel weak, it means they have no energy. A person who’s very ill and generally weak in this way might be described as frail. When weak means lacking in force, effectiveness, or support, synonyms are ineffectual and poor, as in That’s a weak/poor excuse. In the context of sounds, weak is used to mean faint, soft, and quiet. A weak sound might be one that’s indistinct, thin, or muffled. A very informal slang term that can mean the same thing as weak is weak sauce. To become weak is to weaken. A specific way of being weak is a weakness. Other terms for this are weak point, vulnerability, and soft spot. These terms often suggest a flaw that can allow someone or something to be defeated, attacked, exploited. An expression that means this is Achilles heel.

What is the opposite (antonym) of weak?

The direct and commonly used opposite of weak is strong. Strong can be used as the opposite of weak in most contexts, such as a person’s physical strength, the effectiveness of an argument, the flavor of a drink, etc. Other antonyms for weak include hearty and healthy (when weak means ill or frail), bold and brave (when weak means cowardly), and loud (when weak means faint or quiet).

How do you spell weak?

Weak as in lacking strength is spelled with ea. Week as in the period of seven days is spelled with ee. You can remember this because seven also has two e’s.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

weak weaker weakest

The alliance is facing a dilemma over how to respond without escalating or looking weak.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026

Other parts of the housing market are grappling with weak demand.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026

Without sufficient levels of the protein, those signals may become too weak to register normally.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 19, 2026

I’ve often wondered about the weakness of Jason’s origin story, and how he evolved from a child too weak to swim to a murderous entity with superior strength.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026

She’s too little to do this, Jonathan thought, and too weak.

From "Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret

La Nina years, when the central and eastern tropical Pacific is cooler than normal, were producing stronger effects than their rating suggested, and El Ninos weaker ones.

From Barron's ● Oct. 19, 2026

He scored with a deflected shot in the 80th minute when he cut in on his weaker right foot.

From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2026

In another 68 cases, the effects became weaker.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 18, 2026

Sharon Zollner, chief economist at ANZ, said a weaker New Zealand dollar and higher oil prices since September have materially changed the interest-rate outlook.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

The music can suddenly emphasize the weaker beats of the measure, or it can even emphasize notes that are not on the beat at all.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones

The season premiere in September managed 7.94 million, a 21% drop from 2025 and the weakest opening this century.

From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026

The rupiah dropped about 0.8 percent against the dollar to sit at around around 18,060, having hit 18,209 in June, its weakest level on record.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

In a sign of the building jitters, the euro fell close to 1% against the dollar to its weakest level in more than a year, around $1.12.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

Especially since the weakest borrowers are getting hit first.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026

He had the weakest smile, like he really didn't have the strength or the will to break the blank stare and make his face match the words that came out of his mouth.

From "Tradition" by Brendan Kiely

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