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faint
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- pronunciation:
- feInt
- parts of speech:
- adjective, intransitive verb, noun
- features:
- Word Combinations (adjective, verb, noun), Homophone Note, Word History, Word Explorer
part of speech: |
adjective |
inflections: |
fainter, faintest |
definition 1: |
weak, feeble, or slight.
The old paint was now faint in color.Their faint efforts were not sufficient to bring about success.I have only a faint recollection of the incident.- synonyms:
- feeble, pale, weak
- antonyms:
- intense, striking, strong, thick
- similar words:
- dim, dull, obscure, outside, remote, sickly, slight, small, wishy-washy
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definition 2: |
exhausted, dizzy, or on the brink of losing consciousness.
The child was faint after going for days without food.When he saw all the blood, he felt faint.- synonyms:
- dizzy, exhausted, light-headed, woozy
- similar words:
- giddy, light, vertiginous, weak
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definition 3: |
lacking in courage; timid.
Are you so faint that you can't even defend yourself?- synonyms:
- fainthearted, fearful, meek, timid, timorous
- antonyms:
- courageous
- similar words:
- afraid, chicken, chicken-hearted, chicken-livered, cowardly, frightened, lily-livered
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related words: |
diaphanous, dizzy, done in, fuzzy, indistinct, languid, low, slender, soft, still, twilight, vague |
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part of speech: |
intransitive verb |
inflections: |
faints, fainting, fainted |
definition: |
to lose consciousness, usu. briefly; swoon.
The news of his death was so shocking that she fainted.- synonyms:
- keel over, pass out, swoon
- similar words:
- black out, collapse
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related words: |
drop |
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part of speech: |
noun |
definition: |
a temporary, usu. brief, loss of consciousness.
He fell in a dead faint.- synonyms:
- blackout, swoon, syncope
- similar words:
- unconsciousness
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The words faint and feint sound alike but have different meanings. To find out why a basketball player would rather feint than faint on the court, look up feint.
Faint comes from an early French word that means "cowardly" and "lacking in spirit."
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