German Conversation · Level 83
59 words
German word
schwächen
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈʃvɛçn̩/
Meaning
- verbweaken
Example
Das viele Arbeiten schwächt die Gesundheit.
Too much work weakens your health.
More examples
Politische Skandale schwächen oft das Vertrauen in Parteien.
Political scandals often weaken trust in parties.
Core concept
A strong force, body, or effect loses some power, like a battery delivering less energy.
Common phrases
das Immunsystem schwächen
weaken the immune system
das Vertrauen schwächen
weaken trust
die Wirtschaft schwächen
weaken the economy
Similar words
vermindern: To lower the amount or extent of something.
reduzieren: To decrease the quantity or number of something.
beeinträchtigen: To hinder effective functioning or worsen a condition.
abmildern: To make something less harsh and reduce its impact.
Definition in German
jemanden oder etwas in seiner Kraft oder Wirksamkeit vermindern
Word origin
Schwächen is formed from the adjective "schwach" with the verb-forming suffix "-en", and "schwach" continues Old High German "swach".
Usage tips
- Schwächen is transitive and takes an accusative object, as in "jemanden oder etwas schwächen".
Other meanings
- impairverb
- sapverb
Opposites
- stärkenstrengthenverb
- verstärkenreinforceverb
Related words
- Schwächungweakeningnoun
- abschwächenweakenverb
- geschwächtweakenedadjective