faint

/feɪnt/ (bre, ipa) · /feɪnt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfānt/ (ame, mw)

faint — adjective

  • faintpositive
  • faintercomparative
  • faintestsuperlative

1. not easy to see, hear, smell, or notice, because the quality or strength is very

1.形容詞B1
釋義

not easy to see, hear, smell, or notice, because the quality or strength is very low — for example, a sound that is barely audible, a colour that has faded, or a memory that is no longer sharp.

例句

A faint smell of cinnamon came from the kitchen as Sana walked past.

collocation: faint smell of [something]

The photo caption was so faint that Dario could barely read it.

同義詞
  • dim

    used specifically for light or vision, not for smell or sound

  • vague

    emphasises lack of detail or clarity rather than strength

  • slight

    focuses on small degree; often used for chance or connection

反義詞
  • strong

    easily perceived by the senses

  • clear

    easy to see, hear, or understand

文法句型

faint + noun

as faint as + noun

faint with + noun

用法筆記

Often used with sensory nouns: faint smell, faint sound, faint light, faint mark, faint memory. The adverb form faintly (e.g., 'the room was faintly lit') is very common.

常見錯誤

❌There was a light sound from the next room.' (when the sound was hard to hear)
✅There was a faint sound from the next room.
💡'light' describes weight, not perceptibility.

2. used in the fixed expression 'not have the faintest idea' to strongly emphasise

2.形容詞B2
釋義

used in the fixed expression 'not have the faintest idea' to strongly emphasise that you know absolutely nothing about a topic, fact, or situation — for example, having no clue why something happened or where something is.

例句

Valentina did not have the faintest idea what her brother was talking about at dinner.

pattern: not have the faintest idea + wh-clause

Christopher hasn't the faintest idea where he left his phone last night.

同義詞

文法句型

not have the faintest idea (about/of/what/where/why/how)

用法筆記

This sense only appears in negative sentences — almost always 'not have the faintest idea' or the contracted form 'haven't the faintest idea'. The positive form ('I have a faint idea') does not carry this meaning.

常見錯誤

❌I do not have the fainest idea.' (spelling error)
✅I do not have the faintest idea.
💡note the '-t' at the end of 'faintest'.
❌I have a faint idea where he went.' (meaning 'I have no idea')
✅I do not have the faintest idea where he went.
💡the positive form with 'a' does not express total ignorance.

3. experiencing a physical feeling of weakness and dizziness, as though you might f

3.形容詞B1
釋義

experiencing a physical feeling of weakness and dizziness, as though you might fall down and lose consciousness — often caused by heat, hunger, fear, or standing up too quickly.

例句

The heat inside the crowded train was so intense that Élise began to feel faint.

pattern: feel faint

Otis felt faint when he saw blood on the clinic floor.

同義詞
  • dizzy

    focuses on spinning sensation; does not necessarily suggest you might collapse

  • light-headed

    suggests a floating, unsteady feeling, common when hungry or ill

  • woozy

    informal; a confused, slightly sick, unsteady feeling

反義詞
  • steady

    feeling balanced and not likely to fall

文法句型

feel faint

go faint

be faint with [hunger/heat/exhaustion]

用法筆記

This adjective is predicative only — it appears after linking verbs (feel, become, go) and never directly before a noun. You cannot say 'a faint woman' to mean a dizzy woman.

常見錯誤

❌A faint patient was helped to a chair.
✅The patient felt faint and was helped to a chair.
💡'faint' here means weak/dizzy and is predicative, so it cannot go before a noun.

4. done or given with so little energy, effort, or courage that it shows a lack of

4.形容詞C1
釋義

done or given with so little energy, effort, or courage that it shows a lack of real interest or commitment — for example, praise that sounds half-hearted, a smile that does not reach the eyes, or an attempt that gives up quickly.

例句

The critics offered only faint praise for the director's latest film.

collocation: faint praise

Tendai made a faint attempt to lift the box, then gave up.

collocation: faint attempt

同義詞
  • half-hearted

    more common in everyday English; describes effort without real enthusiasm

  • feeble

    stronger negative tone; suggests the attempt was laughably weak

  • lukewarm

    often used for reactions, praise, or support that is unenthusiastic

反義詞

文法句型

faint + noun

用法筆記

Common in fixed collocations: faint praise, faint smile, faint attempt, faint heart. The proverb 'Faint heart never won fair lady' is a well-known literary use of this sense.

faint — verb

faint — noun