weak

/wiːk/

//wiːk// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"weak" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“weak” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,237 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#2,237
frequency rank, English
4
letters
4
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Lacking in force (usually strength) or ability.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

weak vs web
50% similar
weak vs wet
50% similar
weak vs wee
50% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for weak
PropertyValue
Headwordweak
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/wiːk/
Letters4
Frequency rank#2,237
Misspellings tracked4
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “weak” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). weak lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for weak is 4 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /wiːk/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,237 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 19 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 4 likely wrong-spelling variants for weak, with forms such as "ewak", "weakk", and "weka". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "web", "wet", "wee", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English weyk, wayk, weik, waik, from Old Norse veikr (“weak”), from Proto-Germanic *waikwaz (“weak, yielded, pliant, bendsome”), from Proto-Indo-European *weyk- (“to bend, wind”). Cognate with Old English wāc (“weak, bendsome”), Saterland Frisia… The correct English form is weak, spelled W-E-A-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    Lacking in force (usually strength) or ability.
  2. 2
    Unable to sustain a great weight, pressure, or strain.
  3. 3
    Limp, soft.
  4. 4
    Unable to withstand temptation, urgency, persuasion, etc.; easily impressed, moved, or overcome; accessible; vulnerable.
  5. 5
    Having a strong, irrepressible emotional love for someone or (less often) something; sentimentally affected by such love.
  6. 6
    Dilute, lacking in taste or potency.
  7. 7
    Displaying a particular kind of inflection, including:
  8. 8
    Displaying a particular kind of inflection, including:
  9. 9
    Displaying a particular kind of inflection, including:
  10. 10
    That does not ionize completely into anions and cations in a solution.
  11. 11
    One of the four fundamental forces associated with nuclear decay.
  12. 12
    Bad or uncool.
  13. 13
    Having a narrow range of logical consequences; narrowly applicable. (Often contrasted with a strong statement which implies it.)
  14. 14
    Resulting from, or indicating, lack of judgment, discernment, or firmness; unwise; hence, foolish.
  15. 15
    Not having power to convince; not supported by force of reason or truth; unsustained.
  16. 16
    Lacking in vigour or expression.
  17. 17
    Not prevalent or effective, or not felt to be prevalent; not potent; feeble.
  18. 18
    Tending towards lower prices.
  19. 19
    Lacking contrast.

Etymology

From Middle English weyk, wayk, weik, waik, from Old Norse veikr (“weak”), from Proto-Germanic *waikwaz (“weak, yielded, pliant, bendsome”), from Proto-Indo-European *weyk- (“to bend, wind”). Cognate with Old English wāc (“weak, bendsome”), Saterland Frisian wook (“soft, gentle, tender”), West Frisian weak (“soft”), Dutch week (“soft, weak”), German weich (“weak, soft”), Norwegian veik (“weak”), Swedish vek (“weak, pliant”), Icelandic veikur (“bendsome, weak”). Related to Old English wīcan (“to yield”). Doublet of week and wick.

Synonyms

feeblefrailpowerlessvincibleassailablevulnerabledilutewateryanemicbreakablebroken-downdamageddebilitateddecrepitdelicatedicklesseffeteenervatedenfeebledexhaustedfaintflimsyfragileharmedhurtimpairedimpotentinfirminjuredlanguidlowprostratedprostratepunyraddledresistlesssappedslightsoftsoftenedsusceptibletendertiredtorpidunresistantwastedweakweakenedwearyweedywimpyworn outyielding

Antonyms

healthypowerfulrobuststronginvinciblepotentrobuststrongstrongable-bodiedathleticbeefybrawnycapablecompetentdurablefirmfitfortifiedhalehardenedhardymightymuscularpuissantruggedsinewysoundstalwartstoutstrappingstrengthenedsturdytoughenedtoughvigorousvirilevitalized

This word in other languages

débil(Español)faible(Français)schwach(Deutsch)fraco(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ewak,weakk,weka,wweak

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of weak - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ewak2weakk1weka2wweak1
Edit distance from "weak"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "weak"?
"weak" is spelled W-E-A-K. The IPA pronunciation is /wiːk/.
What does "weak" mean?
As an adjective, "weak" means: Lacking in force (usually strength) or ability.
What words are commonly confused with "weak"?
"weak" is commonly confused with "web", "wet", "wee". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "weak"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "weak" is /wiːk/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "weak"?
From Middle English weyk, wayk, weik, waik, from Old Norse veikr (“weak”), from Proto-Germanic *waikwaz (“weak, yielded, pliant, bendsome”), from Proto-Indo-European *weyk- (“to bend, wind”). Cognate with Old English wāc (“weak, bendsome”), Saterl... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “weak”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is W-E-A-K - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /wiːk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “web” - see the side-by-side comparison. weak vs web
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list