Feeble vs Weak

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Feeble

Top 2,000 (common) B1 adjective

Weak

Top 1,000 (very common) A2

Most common: Weak

	Feeble	Weak
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //ˈfiːbəl// 🇺🇸 //ˈfiːbəl//	🇬🇧 /["/wiːk/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/wiːk/"]/
Meaning	Very weak or not strong	Not strong or powerful.
Example	The feeble branches swayed in the light breeze.	She felt weak after running the marathon.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	B1	A2
Part of speech	adjective
Collocations	feeble attempt, feeble excuse, feeble health, feeble light	appear, be, feel, extremely, fairly, very, at, from, in, weak at the knees, appear, be, feel, extremely, fairly, very, at, from, in, weak at the knees, appear, be, feel, extremely, fairly, very, at, from, in, weak at the knees
Antonyms	strong, powerful, robust, sturdy	strong, powerful, robust
Common mistakes	Confused with 'weak' but 'feeble' implies even less strength., Used to describe objects instead of people or actions., Mistaken to mean 'faint' or 'dim', which have different contexts.	Confused with 'week' (the time period), Using 'weak' to describe intelligence instead of 'not intelligent', Overusing 'weak' to describe emotions, which can be seen as negative or stigmatizing
Usage notes	Use 'feeble' to describe physical weakness or lack of strength, often in a negative context. It's not used for strong, positive descriptions.	Used to describe physical strength, emotional resilience, or ineffective arguments. Avoid using it in formal academic contexts to describe theories or ideas.

See it in real clips

shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness,

House Of Dragons › S1 E1

You're weak, viserys.

Succession › S1 E1

I hear it played weak. Conflict-averse.

shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness,

House Of Dragons › S1 E1

You're weak, viserys.

Weak

Frequently asked questions: Feeble vs Weak

What's the difference between Feeble and Weak?

Feeble: Very weak or not strong Weak: Not strong or powerful.

Which is more common: Feeble and Weak?

Weak is the most common in everyday English.

Which is more advanced: Feeble and Weak?

Feeble is the highest level, at B1, on the CEFR scale.

Are Feeble and Weak the same CEFR level?

Feeble: B1, Weak: A2 on the CEFR scale.

Can you show an example of each?

Feeble: The feeble branches swayed in the light breeze. Weak: She felt weak after running the marathon.

Can I use Feeble and Weak interchangeably?

Not always. Feeble and Weak are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.