infirm

[ in-furm ]

adjective

1. feeble or weak in body or health, especially because of age; ailing.

   Synonyms: weak

   Antonyms: strong

2. unsteadfast, faltering, or irresolute, as persons or the mind; vacillating:

   infirm of purpose.

   Synonyms: indecisive

   Antonyms: strong

3. not firm, solid, or strong:

   an infirm support.

   Synonyms: unsteady, shaky, tottering, rickety, weak

   Antonyms: strong

4. unsound or invalid, as an argument or a property title.

   Synonyms: weak

verb (used with object)

1. to invalidate.

infirm

/ ɪnˈfɜːm /

adjective

1. 1. weak in health or body, esp from old age
   2. ( as collective noun; preceded by the )

      the infirm

2. lacking moral certainty; indecisive or irresolute
3. not stable, sound, or secure

   an infirm claim

   an infirm structure

4. law (of a law, custom, etc) lacking legal force; invalid

Derived Forms

• inˈfirmness, noun
• inˈfirmly, adverb

Other Words From

• in·firmly adverb
• in·firmness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of infirm¹

1325–75; Middle English infirme < Latin infirmus. See in- ³, firm ¹

Example Sentences

Only a skeleton crew of volunteers and medical and municipal workers remain, along with residents too old, poor or infirm to leave.

From Los Angeles Times

Anne said her message to the White House was: "Please, please do everything you can to get him out. He's the oldest one there, and he's the most infirm. Please help us."

From BBC

“We cannot be a strong or secure nation when our infrastructure, industry, society, and economy are infirm.”

From Los Angeles Times

Yurchenkove, like all the border villages, had only a few elderly or infirm civilians.

From BBC

I thought, Was there no end to the indignities suffered by the weak and the infirm for the conveniences of the strong and the well-fed?

From Literature

Related Words

• ailing
• anemic
• decrepit
• feeble
• frail
• ill
• insecure
• unstable