weakly

weakly — adverb

1. When you do something weakly, your body does not have enough strength to do it i

1.adverbB1
Definition

When you do something weakly, your body does not have enough strength to do it in the usual way — for example, speaking so quietly that others can barely hear you, or moving your arms and legs with great difficulty.

Example

Tanvi smiled weakly from her hospital bed, then closed her eyes.

smiled weakly — physical frailty context

The old man pushed weakly against the heavy door, but it would not move.

Common collocations
  • weakly smiled
  • weakly nodded
  • weakly pushed
  • weakly raised
  • weakly walked
  • weakly protested
Synonyms
  • feebly

    suggests an even greater lack of strength; more literary or formal in tone

  • faintly

    emphasises barely perceptible quality, especially of sound or light rather than action

Antonyms
  • strongly

    direct opposite in terms of physical power

  • forcefully

    implies deliberate use of strength or effort

Grammar Patterns

weakly + verb of bodily action

Usage Note

Subject is usually a person or animal recovering from illness, injury, or exhaustion. Frequently paired with verbs of voluntary physical action (smile, nod, push, raise, stand, walk).

Common Mistakes

She weakly laughed at the joke.
She laughed weakly at the joke.
'weakly' sounds more natural after the verb when describing the manner of laughing, not before it.

2. Acting without the strength of character needed to stand by your own choices, sa

2.adverbB2
Definition

Acting without the strength of character needed to stand by your own choices, say no to others, or defend your position against pressure or disagreement.

Example

Gabriel weakly agreed to a plan he knew was bad, just to avoid a fight.

weakly agreed — yielding to avoid conflict

The manager weakly gave in to every demand and lost the team's respect.

Common collocations
  • weakly agreed
  • weakly gave in
  • weakly protested
  • weakly surrendered
  • weakly nodded
Synonyms
  • spinelessly

    more negative and informal; suggests contempt for the person's lack of courage

  • timidly

    focuses on fear rather than weakness of character

Antonyms
  • firmly

    shows strength of character and clear resolve

  • assertively

    implies confidently standing up for oneself

Grammar Patterns

weakly + verb of yielding/agreement

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1 (PHYSICALLY WEAK): this sense describes a person's reaction to social pressure or difficult decisions, not their physical condition. The verb is typically one of yielding or compliance (agree, give in, nod, accept, surrender).

Common Mistakes

He weakly lifted the box.' (when meaning he gave in to pressure)
He weakly gave in to their demands.
'weakly' needs a verb that shows yielding, not physical action.

3. Done without good reasons or clear evidence, so that others are unlikely to be p

3.adverbB2
Definition

Done without good reasons or clear evidence, so that others are unlikely to be persuaded or to believe what is said.

Example

Adisa argued weakly for his proposal, offering no real data to back it up.

weakly argued — lacking supporting evidence

Camille defended her position weakly during the debate, and few were convinced.

Common collocations
  • weakly argued
  • weakly defended
  • weakly presented
  • weakly supported
  • weakly explained
Synonyms
  • lamely

    more informal; often used for excuses that are transparently poor

  • feebly

    can overlap in argument contexts, though more common for physical weakness

Antonyms
  • convincingly

    shows that an argument is persuasive and well-supported

  • persuasively

    highlights the ability to win others over

Grammar Patterns

weakly + verb of argument/presentation

Usage Note

Subject is typically a person presenting a case, excuse, or argument. The verb is one of explaining, defending, or presenting. Common in formal or semi-formal contexts such as debates, court cases, or business meetings.

Common Mistakes

He weakly walked to school.' (when meaning his excuse was weak)
He weakly explained why he was late.
only use this sense with verbs of speaking or presenting, not physical movement.

weakly — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

All four words describe actions done with little force, but they differ in what kind of force is missing. 'Weakly' is the broadest term: it covers any lack of physical strength, from a quiet voice to an unsteady step. 'Feebly' suggests a more extreme degree of weakness — the person barely has the strength to act at all, and the word carries a slightly literary or pitying tone. 'Faintly' focuses on perception: a sound or sensation is so soft that it is almost undetectable ('She smiled faintly'), and it is not used for deliberate physical efforts like pushing or lifting. 'Gently' describes a soft, careful touch that is chosen rather than forced by weakness ('He gently placed the baby in the crib'). When choosing among these words, think about cause: if the lack of force comes from physical incapacity, use 'weakly' or 'feebly'; if it comes from the quietness of a sensation, use 'faintly'; if it comes from deliberate tenderness, use 'gently'. For example: 'After the marathon, Wei waved weakly at his friends' shows exhaustion, not gentleness.

weakly ↗feeblyfaintly ↗gently ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • very weakly
  • rather weakly
  • somewhat weakly
  • too weakly

Phrases

  • weakly at best
  • weakly put together
  • weakly supported by evidence

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

'Weakly' is formed by adding the suffix '-ly' to the adjective 'weak'. The base word 'weak' comes from Old English 'wāc', meaning 'pliant, soft, lacking strength', which is related to Old Norse 'veikr' (weak) and Old High German 'weih' (soft, yielding). The adverb form appeared in the 13th century as 'weakliche', and the adjective form (meaning 'sickly, feeble') followed in the 14th century. The adjective use is now largely restricted to literary or dialectal contexts, while the adverb remains common across all registers.