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Synonyms

weakling

American  
[week-ling] / ˈwik lɪŋ /

noun

  1. a person who is physically or morally weak.

    Synonyms:
    namby-pamby, chicken, milksop

adjective

  1. weak; not strong.

weakling British  
/ ˈwiːklɪŋ /

noun

  1. a person or animal that is lacking in strength or weak in constitution or character

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of weakling

First recorded in 1520–30; weak + -ling 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Former Big Ten weakling Indiana defied all conventional wisdom to become the nation’s only undefeated team and claim its first-ever No. 1 ranking.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 24, 2025

Don’t get me wrong: J. Edgar Hoover, the FBI’s legendary founding director, would view Patel as a contemptible weakling.

From Salon • Oct. 19, 2025

The U.S. economy is not a 90-pound weakling when it comes to manufacturing muscle.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 26, 2023

Jesse Eisenberg is excellent as a nebbish weakling who decides to become a “real man” by learning karate.

From New York Times • Mar. 29, 2023

He’d feel he was a weakling if he didn’t run; he’d lose face.

From "Homesick" by Jean Fritz

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.