English dictionary
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English verb: weaken | |||
| 1. | weaken (change) lessen the strength of | ||
| Samples | The fever weakened his body. | ||
| Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Somebody ----s somebody. Something ----s somebody. Something ----s something | ||
| Broader (hypernym) | alter, change, modify | ||
| Narrower (hyponym) | attenuate, blunt, break, castrate, cripple, cut, dampen, de-energise, de-energize, debilitate, depress, devitalise, devitalize, dilute, drain, emasculate, enervate, enfeeble, etiolate, mollify, negate, neutralise, neutralize, nullify, rarefy, reduce, season, shake, stultify, temper, thin, thin out, unbrace, wash out | ||
| Cause | weaken | ||
| Antonyms | beef up, fortify, strengthen | ||
| 2. | weaken (change) become weaker | ||
| Samples | The prisoner's resistance weakened after seven days. | ||
| Pattern of use | Something ----s. Somebody ----s | ||
| Broader (hypernym) | decrease, diminish, fall, lessen | ||
| Narrower (hyponym) | attenuate, blur, collapse, die down, dim, disappear, dull, evaporate, fade, languish, lessen, loose, loosen, melt, melt, pall, pine away, relax, slack, slacken, slacken, slow, slow down, slow up, slur, subside, waste, wilt | ||
| Antonyms | strengthen | ||
| 3. | weaken (social) destroy property or hinder normal operations | ||
| Samples | The Resistance sabotaged railroad operations during the war. | ||
| Synonyms | counteract, countermine, sabotage, subvert, undermine | ||
| Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something | ||
| Broader (hypernym) | disobey | ||
| Narrower (hyponym) | derail | ||
| 4. | weaken (change) reduce the level or intensity or size or scope of | ||
| Samples | De-escalate a crisis. | ||
| Synonyms | de-escalate, step down | ||
| Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Something ----s something | ||
| Broader (hypernym) | decrease, lessen, minify | ||
| Antonyms | escalate, intensify, step up | ||
| 5. | weaken (change) lessen in force or effect | ||
| Samples | Soften a shock. Break a fall. | ||
| Synonyms | break, damp, dampen, soften | ||
| Pattern of use | Something ----s. Somebody ----s something. Something ----s something | ||
| Broader (hypernym) | blunt, deaden | ||
| Narrower (hyponym) | damp, dampen, deaden, deafen | ||
Based on WordNet 3.0 copyright © Princeton University.
Web design: Orcapia v/Per Bang. English edition: .
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Web design: Orcapia v/Per Bang. English edition: .
2024 onlineordbog.dk