Word
infirm
Phoneticsin·firm, stress on the second syllable
US/ɪnˈfɝm/
UK/ɪnfˈɜːm/
Definition
adj. weak in the body, often because of old age or long illness. You use it for people who move slowly or need help with daily life.
adj. physically weak or frail, especially as a result of old age or chronic illness. Typically applied to people and often paired with 'elderly' in formal descriptions of care needs.
Examples
“My elderly neighbour is infirm and needs daily help.”
“After his long illness, her father grew infirm and now uses a walker to move around the house.”
“The once-vigorous captain, now infirm and confined to a chair by the window, still followed the harbour traffic with undiminished interest.”
Examples
simple
“My elderly neighbour is infirm and needs daily help.”
contextual
“After his long illness, her father grew infirm and now uses a walker to move around the house.”
complex
“The once-vigorous captain, now infirm and confined to a chair by the window, still followed the harbour traffic with undiminished interest.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “infirm” in context.
Verb
01. become infirm
“Many people become infirm in very old age and need daily support.”
verb + adj
02. care for infirm
“Local charities care for infirm pensioners who live alone.”
verb + prep + adj
03. grow infirm
“He grew infirm after years of chronic illness and moved slowly.”
verb + adj
04. leave infirm
“The accident left him infirm and unable to work.”
verb + adj
Adjective
05. increasingly infirm
“His grandmother became increasingly infirm after her ninetieth birthday.”
adv + adj
Noun
06. infirm mind
“The lawyer argued the will was signed by a man of infirm mind.”
adj + noun
07. infirm parent
“He gave up work to look after his infirm parent at home.”
adj + noun
08. infirm patient
“The nurse helped the infirm patient get out of bed safely.”
adj + noun
09. infirm relative
“They take turns visiting their infirm relative in the care home.”
adj + noun
10. become increasingly infirm with age
“My grandfather became increasingly infirm with age and needed a walker.”
11. care for the infirm elderly
“Trained staff care for the infirm elderly in this residence.”
12. leave someone infirm and dependent
“The stroke left him infirm and dependent on his family for care.”
Real-World Examples
“Governor Scott Watson told BBC Scotland: "We have a large number of elderly and infirm prisoners which means we have an increased number who need to go to hospital for acute medical reasons but, more importantly, every week we are having to try to determine who can go in the most accessible cells.” “He also worked as a 'chairman' in nearby Bath, transporting sick and infirm people through the city's steep streets in wheelchairs and sedan chairs despite his own physical injuries.” “Old and infirm, he is a shadow of the strutting Bosnian Serb general who once struck fear into the hearts of Muslims and Croats.” “Robotic support of the infirm and elderly has got to be aimed at improving quality of life," says Geoff Pegman, managing director of one of the UK's few robot manufacturers R.U.Robots.” Etymology
* The noun is from Middle English infirme, from Latin infirmus (“weak, feeble”). * The verb is from Latin īnfirmāre.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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