What does weakling mean?
A weakling is a noun used for a person regarded as physically frail or as lacking courage, resolve, or strength of character. In modern usage it is usually an insult: calling someone a weakling suggests that they are timid, weak-willed, or unable to face difficulty. The word can also describe a genuinely physically fragile person or animal, but such a description may itself sound dismissive. In literary and older contexts weakling can be comparatively neutral, while in contemporary conversation it is generally informal and potentially cruel. Because the expression joins literal physical weakness with a moral judgment about toughness, it is often more cutting than a merely medical description of frailty. A weakling is therefore best understood as both a type of person and a hostile or teasing characterization.
nounA person who is physically frail or who is contemptuously characterized as weak in character, courage, or resolve.
- A person who lacks physical strength or is physically frail.
- A person contemptuously characterized as timid, cowardly, ineffective, or deficient in character.
"Though a physical weakling, he had the resolve to complete the gruelling climb."
"The newborn kitten was such a weakling that we had to carry it indoors."
"They dismissed him as a weakling rather than admit how fiercely he had fought."
The regular plural is used when referring to more than one weakling.
"The novel portrays the two brothers as weaklings dominated by their father."
From a literal description of frailty to a verbal gut-punch, weakling can label someone not only frail but a coward.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does weakling come from?
Weakling is an English formation built on weak with the suffix -ling, and it has been in use since the early modern period. Weak comes through Old English wac from a Germanic word meaning weak; Old Norse veikr is a close cognate of that base. The compound has long been capable of referring both to physical frailty and to weakness or cowardice of character.
Related word forms
How weakling is actually used
Informal and usually derogatory. It is commonly used as an insult for someone perceived as timid or ineffective, while older or literary contexts sometimes use it more neutrally for physical frailty.
Easily confused with weakling
Weakling is a noun denoting a person considered weak or cowardly, whereas weakly is an adverb or adjective meaning in a weak manner.