weakest
/wiːk/ (bre, ipa) · [wˈikəst] /wiːk/ (ame, ipa) · [wˈikəst] /ˈwēk How to pronounce weak (audio)/ (ame, mw)
weakest — adjective
- weakestpositive
- more weakestcomparative
- most weakestsuperlative
1. superlative of weak: having the least physical power or muscle strength among a
superlative of weak: having the least physical power or muscle strength among a group; the most feeble in body.
After her illness, Folake was the weakest hiker on the team and needed frequent rests.
superlative used with 'the' + noun
The vet said the puppy was the weakest of the litter and needed extra care.
superlative with 'of' phrase
Omar picked the weakest rope on the shelf, and it snapped under the crate's weight.
Maeve's legs gave out first on the mountain hike because she was the weakest of the group.
- strongest
having the greatest physical power
文法句型
the weakest + noun
possessive + weakest
用法筆記
Commonly used with 'the' to single out one member of a group ('the weakest player'). Also used possessively ('his weakest arm').
常見錯誤
2. superlative of weak: having the least strength of character, the smallest amount
superlative of weak: having the least strength of character, the smallest amount of willpower, or the least authority and influence over others.
The committee chose Rafael as the chair because he was the weakest candidate and would not oppose their plans.
Eli knew he had the weakest willpower in his friend group when it came to resisting sugary snacks.
possessive + weakest + noun
In the company's leadership team, Sophia's department had the weakest voice during budget meetings.
Parents who give in to every demand become the weakest authority figures in their children's eyes.
- most spineless
more informal and negative; suggests cowardice
- most irresolute
formal; emphasises inability to make firm decisions
- most powerless
focuses on lack of authority rather than character
- firmest
having the strongest resolve and decision-making
- most authoritative
having the greatest power to command respect
文法句型
the weakest + noun (character/authority)
用法筆記
Subject is typically a person, group, or institution. Often used with possessive determiners ('his weakest quality').
3. superlative of weak: the least convincing or believable when presenting reasons,
superlative of weak: the least convincing or believable when presenting reasons, justifications, or explanations for something.
Among all the excuses the students gave for being late, Yumi's story about a broken clock was the weakest.
superlative as complement with 'the'
The weakest part of the witness's statement was the claim that she saw the suspect from two blocks away.
Anjali's excuse for missing practice—her dog ate her shoes—was the weakest the coach had ever heard.
The defence presented three arguments, but the judge dismissed the weakest one immediately.
- least convincing
more neutral; a direct paraphrase of the core meaning
- flimsiest
informal; suggests the argument is very thin and poorly constructed
- lamest
very informal; implies the excuse is both unconvincing and disappointing
- strongest
most convincing and well-supported
文法句型
the weakest + noun (argument/excuse/reason)
用法筆記
Usually applied to an argument, excuse, reason, explanation, or piece of evidence. Not used for people directly in this sense.
常見錯誤
4. superlative of weak: containing the least amount of flavour or strength relative
superlative of weak: containing the least amount of flavour or strength relative to water, used for drinks such as tea, coffee, beer, or juice.
The coffee at the hotel buffet was the weakest drink Asher had ever tasted, like brown water.
Grandma asked for the weakest tea on the menu because she cannot handle caffeine late in the evening.
weakest + noun as object of preposition
Rafael tried three different beers at the festival and found the light lager to be the weakest in flavour.
The lemonade stand sold cups so watery that the weakest batch had almost no sugar taste.
- most diluted
focuses on the amount of water added rather than overall quality
- wateriest
informal; suggests the drink is unpleasantly thin
- strongest
having the most concentrated flavour or highest alcohol content
文法句型
the weakest + noun (drink/tea/coffee)
用法筆記
Common with drinks where strength is measurable by taste, caffeine content, or alcohol content. Liqueurs, spirits, and wine are more commonly described as 'light' or 'mild' than 'weakest'.
5. superlative of weak: a technical term describing a substance that ionises to the
superlative of weak: a technical term describing a substance that ionises to the smallest degree in a solution, releasing the fewest hydrogen or hydroxide ions among the items being compared.
In the lab experiment, acetic acid was the weakest acid of the three samples the students tested.
technical use: weakest acid
The chemistry textbook explained that the weakest base in the table barely changed the colour of the pH paper.
Sahil carefully recorded which solution was the weakest by measuring how many ions formed in the water.
Among the household acids tested, vinegar was the weakest, with a pH closer to seven than lemon juice.
- least ionising
describes the chemical property directly; more precise but less common
- most dilute in ions
describes the resulting ion concentration rather than the substance itself
- strongest
ionising most completely in solution
文法句型
the weakest + noun (acid/base/solution)
用法筆記
This sense is a technical chemistry term. Learners at B2 or below are more likely to encounter 'weak' (not 'weakest') in this context. The superlative appears in laboratory comparisons.
6. superlative of weak: having the least ability, the lowest level of skill, or the
superlative of weak: having the least ability, the lowest level of skill, or the poorest quality in a particular area when compared with others.
Mathematics was always Kemi's weakest subject at school, but she worked hard and improved her grades.
possessive + weakest + noun
The scout leader said their team's weakest area was map reading, so they practised navigating through the woods.
Among all the job applicants, Lan's portfolio was the weakest because it lacked any experience with design software.
The coach identified the weakest part of the team's defence and ran extra drills all week to fix it.
- poorest
more general; can apply to quality of work as well as ability
- least proficient
more formal; suggests a lack of developed skill
- feeblest
can be used metaphorically for effort or performance; somewhat literary
- strongest
having the greatest ability or highest quality in a given area
文法句型
the weakest + noun (area/subject/ability)
possessive + weakest + noun
用法筆記
Subject is often a skill, subject, area, or part of something larger. Can be used with a possessive to indicate whose ability is being evaluated ('his weakest skill').
常見錯誤
7. superlative of weak: describing a chin or jaw that is the smallest, least promin
superlative of weak: describing a chin or jaw that is the smallest, least prominent, or receding furthest when compared to others; often used in discussions of facial structure.
The third portrait in the gallery showed a man with the weakest chin, barely visible beneath his lower lip.
The sculptor said the bust's weakest feature was the chin, which looked too small for the rest of the face.
possessive + weakest + noun
When the twins were born, the doctor pointed out that the smaller baby had the weaker jawline of the two.
The patient's weak chin became weaker after the injury, making it the weakest feature on his face.
- most receding
more precise; describes the specific direction of the chin's shape
- least prominent
neutral term; describes visibility rather than shape quality
- strongest
most prominent or well-defined chin or jawline
- most prominent
sticking out the most from the face
文法句型
the weakest + noun (chin/jawline)
用法筆記
Used in anatomy, cosmetology, and art contexts. Often paired with 'chin', 'jaw', or 'jawline'. Can be considered sensitive when applied to a person's appearance.
8. superlative of weak: having the lowest level of intensity, strength, or percepti
superlative of weak: having the lowest level of intensity, strength, or perceptibility; the faintest or most barely detectable among a set of signals, lights, sounds, or other measurable phenomena.
The radio station stopped broadcasting, so we picked up only the weakest signal from a distant tower.
In the cave, the flashlight beam grew so dim that it became the weakest light the team had ever used.
superlative as noun modifier
The microphone caught the weakest whisper from the back of the room, surprising everyone in the audience.
During tests, the handheld beacon sent the weakest signal, and it could not be detected beyond a kilometre.
文法句型
the weakest + noun (signal/light/voice/sound)
用法筆記
Subject is typically a measurable phenomenon: signal, light, voice, whisper, sound, current, or pulse. Not used for emotions or feelings in this sense.