faint

1 of 3

adjective

fainter; faintest
1
a
: hardly perceptible : dim
faint handwriting
b
: vague sense 2a
haven't the faintest idea
2
: weak, dizzy, and likely to faint
sick and faint from the painJack London
3
: lacking courage and spirit : cowardly
faint of heart
4
: lacking strength or vigor : performed, offered, or accomplished weakly or languidly
faint praise
a faint smile on her lips
5
: producing a sensation of faintness : oppressive
the faint atmosphere of a tropical port
faintish adjective
faintishness noun
faintly adverb
faintness noun

faint

2 of 3

verb

fainted; fainting; faints

intransitive verb

1
: to lose consciousness because of a temporary decrease in the blood supply to the brain
2
archaic : to lose courage or spirit
3
archaic : to become weak

faint

3 of 3

noun

: the physiological action of fainting
also : the resulting condition : syncope sense 1

Examples of faint in a Sentence

Adjective We heard a faint noise. the faint glow of a distant light There was a faint smile on her lips. There's just a faint chance that the weather will improve by tomorrow. a faint reminder of their former greatness I'd better lie down; I feel faint. She felt faint from hunger. Verb He always faints at the sight of blood. She almost fainted from the pain. She suffers from fainting spells. Noun shocking news can cause a person to fall into a faint
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
In front of them hung a curtain of gray raindrops, one that in many places carried a faint hint of pale green. Martin Weil, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2024 Elsewhere in our solar system, space scientists have spotted three faint and tiny moons orbiting the outermost planets in the Milky Way: Uranus and Neptune. Katie Hunt, CNN, 2 Mar. 2024 When contact was finally renewed, the signal was faint, confirming that the lander had touched down but leaving mission control immediately uncertain as to the precise condition and position of the vehicle, company officials said during a webcast of the event on Thursday evening. Reuters, NBC News, 24 Feb. 2024 This latest artwork forms the silhouette of a cross across his torso, with his arms adorned in a plethora of new designs, leaving only faint traces of his previous tattoos visible. Jordan Greene, Peoplemag, 20 Feb. 2024 Despite so many declarative statements about what her love is now, the pulse behind J. Lo’s star power is as faint as it’s ever been. Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 16 Feb. 2024 At first, the signs were subtle—a faint scratching in the walls, the occasional rustle in the attic. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2024 On her cheeks, nothing too brash, just a faint dusting of coral blush to sculpt and define. Georgia Day, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2024 Only a faint glimmer remains of the high aspirations the Sabres had in September when general manager Kevyn Adams declared his team’s playoff window as being open. John Wawrow, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2024
Verb
Behrens provided histrionics, declaring a hunger strike and fainting in the courtroom. Jack Kresnak, Detroit Free Press, 21 Jan. 2024 Medics attending to fans and spectators who had fallen, fainted or had other medical problems. Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 15 Feb. 2024 In the early 1920s, a woman in La Crosse, Wisconsin, fainted upon learning that death would install itself so close to home. Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 2 Feb. 2024 Firefighters reported over a thousand fans fainted due to the heat and those who vomited, a sign of dehydration, were offered assistance. Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 18 Nov. 2023 The tech entrepreneur, 73, fainted while attending the World Business Forum (WBF) in Mexico City on Wednesday, a source told CNN En Español. Gabrielle Rockson, Peoplemag, 9 Nov. 2023 But that line can vary in intensity from strong to faint. Sam Jones, Scientific American, 19 Dec. 2023 Scientists suspect that when people faint, their parasympathetic response becomes exaggerated, so their heart rate, blood pressure and breathing slow down too much. Aria Bendix, NBC News, 3 Nov. 2023 Your automatic thoughts here include worry and fear about potential failure and a physical reaction (fainting) during the presentation. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2023
Noun
German chocolate cakes are known for being rich desserts, so this homemade chocolate cake recipe is not one for the faint of taste buds. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 27 Oct. 2023 The presto of the third was kept extra-presto, with beguiling feints (or faints?) of volume in the repeating theme of the strings. Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 13 May 2023 Such belonging is not for the faint of checkbook. Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2023 In a recent video on the Buff Dudes channel, bodybuilder and YouTuber Hudson White spends the day eating and working out like Jackman, and soon finds that the Wolverine routine is not for the faint of heart. Philip Ellis, Men's Health, 4 Apr. 2023 However, purchasing claims is not for the faint of heart, says Thomas Braziel, founder of 507 Capital, an investment company that specializes in distressed debt, which holds a large position in the Mt. Gox bankruptcy and others. WIRED, 30 Mar. 2023 But, don't be fooled as this puzzle isn't for the faint of heart. Jamie Spain, Good Housekeeping, 14 Feb. 2023 The first half wasn’t for the faint of heart. Chris Solari, Detroit Free Press, 12 Feb. 2023 This date isn't for the faint of heart. Janece Maze, Country Living, 2 Feb. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'faint.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English feint, faynt "deceiving, false, lacking in spirit or courage, listless, wearied, feeble, pale," borrowed from Anglo-French, "deceiving, false, lacking in spirit, weak," from present participle of feindre, faindre "to make, fabricate, pretend, dissemble, lose heart, fade" — more at feign

Verb

Middle English feinten, faynten "to pretend, lack spirit, become enfeebled, grow weak, fade," verbal derivative of feint, faynt "deceiving, lacking in spirit, wearied" — more at faint entry 1

Noun

noun derivative of faint entry 2

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1792, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of faint was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near faint

Cite this Entry

“Faint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/faint. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

faint

1 of 3 adjective
1
: timid, cowardly
faint heart
2
: being weak, dizzy, and likely to collapse
feel faint
3
: lacking strength : weak
faint praise
4
a
: not clear or plain : dim
faint cries for help
b
: vague sense 2
haven't the faintest idea
faintly adverb
faintness noun

faint

2 of 3 verb
: to lose consciousness

faint

3 of 3 noun
: an act or condition of fainting

Medical Definition

faint

1 of 3 adjective
: weak, dizzy, and likely to faint

faint

2 of 3 intransitive verb
: to lose consciousness because of a temporary decrease in the blood supply to the brain

faint

3 of 3 noun
: the physiological action of fainting
also : the resulting condition : syncope

More from Merriam-Webster on faint

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