WEAKLY Synonyms: 96 Similar and Opposite Words

weakly 1 of 2

adjective

ˈwē-klē

Definition of weakly

as in fragile

chronically or repeatedly suffering from poor health a weakly baby who required repeated hospitalizations

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

weakly

2 of 2

adverb

as in feebly

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of weakly

Adverb

Virtually all of the thorium is the isotope thorium-232, which is only weakly radioactive. — Glenn Zorpette, IEEE Spectrum, 15 Oct. 2026 The Angels bunted him into scoring position, but Meckler struck out and Trout grounded out weakly. — Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 30 Aug. 2026 Led by Arne Güllich, researchers analyzed the developmental histories of 35,000 world-class adults, including Nobel laureates and Olympians, finding early excellence is weakly linked to adult achievement. — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026 Native traditions have repeatedly been acknowledged in principle – named, counted, formally recognized – but weakly protected in practice. — Kerri J. Malloy, The Conversation, 9 July 2026 Molecular design matters Unlike conventional porous carbon materials that interact weakly with polysulfides, covalent organic frameworks can be engineered with precise pore structures and chemical functionalities. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026 The surface of the bacterial cell contains many chemical structures that can weakly attract and hold onto nanoplastics. — Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 9 June 2026 After a long at-bat, Cholowsky weakly popped out to first base. — Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 29 May 2026 There will be disappointment about Mateta’s goal — Wharton should have been closed down quicker, and Batalla should not have parried the ball so weakly. — Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 27 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for weakly

Adjective

Where Thomas is aloof and proud, Erika is prickly and sardonic, excellent tools for protecting a surprisingly fragile heart.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
My childhood school in Denmark hadn’t been turned to rubble but into an emotional battlefield, a psychological groundhog’s day of explosive arguments, violent brawls—and brief, fragile truces that always shattered when the home bell rung.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of fragile

Adverb

By the time Robyn joins the conversation, her bestie is on the ropes, feebly trying to insist that the entire matter is a misunderstanding.

— Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 26 Oct. 2026
The prime minister has feebly tried to make his own reels in response, but that failed to stem the tide of public irreverence.

— Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of feebly

Adjective

The age-old advice of keeping your passwords secure and being wary of suspicious emails is more important than ever as hackers gain more sophisticated tools and use AI to find more of the internet’s weak points.

— Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026
Analysts expect profits and assets to cover the dividend through weaker timber periods.

— Sebastien Chasse, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of weak

Adverb

This is a subject far older than this Lean-In-era epiphany, yet New Stanford stops short at gesturing faintly in the direction of conversations that could theoretically be had.

— Judy Berman, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
For a generation of children only faintly aware of Led Zeppelin, but intimately aware of every second of Wayne’s World thanks to countless repeat viewings, this was extraordinarily confusing.

— Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of faintly

Adjective

An individualized exercise and diet program can improve their chances of survival while on the waiting list, a study published Wednesday in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology found, with the frailest patients often benefiting the most.

— Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 22 Oct. 2026
In the novels, Violet is described as a small, frail cadet with dark black hair subtly streaked with silver who requires significantly more dragon-riding practice and precision than her peers.

— Isabelle Farina, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of frail

Adverb

The Tesla soon launched itself from its position beneath the ramp's nearly horizontal ledge, executed a barrel roll in midair, and landed softly, all thanks to its SpaceX cold-gas thrusters.

— Mike Wall, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026
His solo debut, Heavy Metal, landed softly in the December hinterlands of 2024, and with it a murmuration of these little fibs.

— Walden Green, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of softly

Adjective

Newcomer Mia Tharia’s Josie is a sickly genius who’s invariably kind to Klara and precociously self-aware in the vein of YA teen heroes everywhere.

— Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 22 Oct. 2026
Having lost one daughter, Chrissy sought perfection in her remaining child, ignoring the risks of the modification procedure that have resulted in sickly Josie slowly succumbing to a chronic illness.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of sickly

Adverb

Bob Iger took a seat on a balcony outside the Perelman Performing Arts Center, in lower Manhattan, the other day and ran a hand gently over his right knee.

— Ben McGrath, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026
Senses are dialled up, receptive, and tender—move gently and lead with care.

— Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of gently

Browse Nearby Words

weaklings

weakly

weak-minded

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“Weakly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weakly. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of weakly

adjective

adverb

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