faint Meaning & Definition
What Does Faint Mean?
Faint is an adjective that means Lacking strength; weak; languid; inclined to lose consciousness. It is also used to mean Lacking courage, spirit, or energy; cowardly; dejected. As a noun, it means The act of fainting, syncope. As a verb, it means To lose consciousness through a lack of oxygen or nutrients to the brain, usually as a result of suddenly reduced blood flow (may be caused by emotional trauma, loss of blood or various medical conditions).
Faint at a Glance
| Part of speech | adjective, noun, verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | //feɪnt// |
| Syllables | 1 |
| Synonyms | timid, light and feeble |
| Plural | faints |
| Comparative / superlative | fainter, faintest |
| Verb forms | faints, fainting, fainted |
Faint Definition (Adjective)
- Lacking strength; weak; languid; inclined to lose consciousness
I felt faint after my fifth gin and tonic.
- Lacking courage, spirit, or energy; cowardly; dejected.
- Barely perceptible; not bright, or loud, or sharp.
There was a faint red light in the distance.
- Performed, done, or acted, weakly; not exhibiting vigor, strength, or energy.
faint efforts
- Slight; minimal.
a faint chance
- Sickly, so as to make a person feel faint.
Faint as a Noun
- The act of fainting, syncope.
She suffered another faint.
- The state of one who has fainted; a swoon.
Faint as a Verb
- To lose consciousness through a lack of oxygen or nutrients to the brain, usually as a result of suddenly reduced blood flow (may be caused by emotional trauma, loss of blood or various medical conditions).
A fainting fit.
- To lose courage or spirit; to become depressed or despondent.
- To decay; to disappear; to vanish.
Adjective
- (of a being) Lacking strength; weak; languid; inclined to lose consciousness
I felt faint after my fifth gin and tonic.
Verb
- To sink into dejection; to lose courage or spirit; to become depressed or despondent.
Synonyms of Faint
Antonyms of Faint
No antonyms or near antonyms are listed by the available sources for this entry.
Faint in a Sentence
I felt faint after my fifth gin and tonic.
He almost fell faint due to the hot climate.
There was a faint red light in the distance.
faint efforts
faint resistance
They damned the latest book with faint praise.
a faint chance
She suffered another faint.
A fainting fit.
Word Forms & Grammar
faint (comparative fainter, superlative faintest)
faint (plural faints)
faint (third-person singular simple present faints, present participle fainting, simple past and past participle fainted)
Words That Rhyme With Faint
Origin of Faint
Origin 1: From Middle English faynt, feynt (“weak; feeble”), from Old French faint, feint (“feigned; negligent; sluggish”), past participle of feindre, faindre (“to feign; sham; work negligently”), from Latin fingere (“to touch, handle, form, shape, frame, form in thought, imagine, conceive, contrive, devise, feign”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeyǵʰ- (“to mold”). Cognate with feign and fiction and more distantly dough.
Origin 2: From Middle English feynen, from the adjective (see above).
Pronouncing Faint
The standard pronunciation of faint is //feɪnt//, spoken in 1 syllable.
Questions People Ask About Faint
Is faint an adjective or a noun?
Faint is mainly used as an adjective, but it can also be used as a noun and a verb.
What is another word for faint?
Words with a similar meaning to faint include timid, light and feeble. See the full list of faint synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of faint?
The plural of faint is faints.
What is the past tense of faint?
The past tense of faint is fainted. The present participle is fainting.
What are the comparative and superlative forms of faint?
The comparative form is fainter and the superlative form is faintest.