weakling

noun

weak·​ling ˈwē-kliŋ How to pronounce weakling (audio)
: one that is weak in body, character, or mind
weakling adjective

Examples of weakling in a Sentence

he had been a weakling until high school, when he started working out to put on muscle only a weakling would be willing to lie to save himself from punishment
Recent Examples on the Web What cinches this daring perspective is actor Andrew Scott’s phenomenal characterization as a weakling who grapples with gradual self-awareness. Armond White, National Review, 29 Dec. 2023 But in a call with Mr. Licht after the meeting, Mr. Zaslav belittled Mr. Zucker as a weakling who had tears in his eyes, several people with knowledge of the conversation said. Benjamin Mullin, New York Times, 15 Nov. 2023 One is the election of Trump, whose frivolousness about national security compliments his weakling's admiration for a bully. Nbc Universal, NBC News, 16 July 2023 The book is no 179-page weakling. Karen Heller, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2023 True to predictions, this El Niño is a weakling. Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 14 Feb. 2019 Only weaklings try to shut everybody up and scorch any kind of dissent. Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 17 Apr. 2023 Though Ivory was a 118-pound teenage weakling uninterested in athletics, an approving steam-room glance from his father, who ran a lumber company, assured the son that his own endowment (cut, a distinction of some socioeconomic preoccupation) was more than adequate. Alexandra Jacobs, New York Times, 1 Nov. 2021 That transformed the storm from a wandering weakling into into roaring Super Typhoon with winds swirling at 160 mph. Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 31 July 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'weakling.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of weakling was in 1548

Dictionary Entries Near weakling

Cite this Entry

“Weakling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/weakling. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

weakling

noun
weak·​ling ˈwē-kliŋ How to pronounce weakling (audio)
: one that is weak in body, character, or mind
weakling adjective

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