# weaker

/ˈwikɝ/ (US) · /wˈiːkɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/weaker
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. less strong

adjective · CEFR A2

having less physical strength, power, or health than another person or thing.

For teachers: possessing a lower degree of physical force, structural integrity, or biological health compared to a reference point.

- The younger kitten was much weaker than its siblings and needed extra food.
- The bridge's foundations proved to be weaker than the original surveys suggested, necessitating an immediate suspension of heavy traffic.

### 2. less convincing

adjective · CEFR B1

describing an argument or idea that is not as easy to believe or support as another one.

For teachers: characterising an argument, evidence, or claim that lacks the persuasive force or logical grounding of a competing proposition.

- His second excuse was even weaker than the first one he gave.
- The prosecution's case became significantly weaker after the primary witness admitted to having a poor memory of the events.

### 3. logic

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical · Academic

in logic, a statement that is easier to prove true because it says less than another statement.

For teachers: describing a proposition that is entailed by another but does not itself entail that other; it imposes fewer restrictions on possible outcomes.

- The statement 'it might rain' is weaker than 'it will rain'.
- In formal logic, a weaker hypothesis is often preferred if it still allows the researcher to derive the necessary conclusions without overreaching.

Usage: Usually used in comparison to a 'stronger' claim or theorem.

## Examples

- My left arm is much weaker than my right arm.
- The bridge was closed to heavy trucks because the older supports were significantly weaker than the new steel beams.
- In formal logic, a weaker claim is often easier to defend because it requires less evidence to prove true than a more absolute, universal statement.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.