Word
weakly
Phoneticsweak·ly, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈwikɫi/
UK/wˈiːkli/
Definition
adj. physically fragile or not very strong. You use this to describe someone who is often sick or lacks physical power.
adj. physically frail or lacking in strength. Often describes a person's constitution or physical state rather than a temporary illness.
Examples
“He was a weakly child who stayed indoors most of the time.”
“The doctor recommended a specific diet to help the weakly patient regain some muscle mass.”
“Despite his weakly appearance and soft-spoken nature, he possessed a mental fortitude that surprised even his most aggressive business rivals.”
Examples
simple
“He was a weakly child who stayed indoors most of the time.”
contextual
“The doctor recommended a specific diet to help the weakly patient regain some muscle mass.”
complex
“Despite his weakly appearance and soft-spoken nature, he possessed a mental fortitude that surprised even his most aggressive business rivals.”
Usage
Typically used attributively before a noun; not to be confused with the adverb form of 'weak'.
Pitfall
He spoke weakly to the crowd.
He spoke in a weak voice to the crowd.
While 'weakly' is an adjective meaning frail, using it as an adverb for 'in a weak manner' is often considered awkward or non-standard in modern English; 'weakly' as an adverb is usually reserved for logical or structural contexts.
Real-World Examples
“Because the individual layers are only weakly connected, researchers can separate them and combine them into very thin structures.” Etymology
From Old English wāclīċe (“weakly”), equivalent to weak + -ly (adjectival suffix); compare Old English wāclīċ (“weak; ignoble; mean”), and Old Norse veikligr (“weakly; sick”); both ultimately from Proto-Germanic *waikalīkaz (“weakly; weak”).
From Middle English weykly, equivalent to weak + -ly (adverbial suffix). Compare Old High German weihlīcho (“weakly”), Middle English wocliche, wokli, wacliche (both from Proto-Germanic *waikalīkō).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- 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.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL 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: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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