What does weakly mean?
Weakly means in a manner that lacks strength, force, energy, or conviction. It is most often used as an adverb to modify a verb: a person may speak weakly, smile weakly, defend an argument weakly, or lean weakly against an object. These uses can describe physical weakness, but they frequently suggest lack of confidence or effectiveness rather than illness. For example, saying that an argument is “weakly made” means that it is poorly supported or insufficiently forceful. Weakly can also function as a formal or literary adjective meaning weak or lacking strength, although this use is much less common. The word is neutral in tone and is used in standard British and American English. Its context often reveals whether the weakness is physical, emotional, rhetorical, or a matter of conviction.
In a manner that lacks strength, force, energy, or conviction.
"He answered weakly when questioned about the missing funds."
This is the dominant modern use. The connotation ranges from physical feebleness to hesitation or lack of conviction.
Weak or deficient in strength, firmness, or effectiveness.
"The young athlete had a weakly constitution and was advised to avoid strenuous exercise."
This adjective use is formal, literary, and much less common than the adverbial use.
Weakly can be both an adverb and an adjective, describing not only how someone acts but also something that lacks strength.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does weakly come from?
Weakly is an English word formed from weak, an Old English adjective meaning inferior, feeble, or lacking strength, together with the adverb-forming suffix -ly, which became established in Middle English. The development of weakly follows the older meaning of weak, but modern usage often extends it from physical weakness to lack of conviction or argumentative force. The related words weakness, weakling, and weaker share the same ancient English root.
How weakly is actually used
Weakly is overwhelmingly an adverb. Its less common adjective use is formal or literary and means weak or deficient in strength. When it describes an argument, position, or response, it often implies that the thing is insufficiently reasoned, forceful, or convincing.
Easily confused with weakly
Weakly describes something done with little strength or conviction, whereas weekly means occurring once a week or every week.