weakening
弱体化する
解説 Definition
weakening は weaken（弱める、弱くなる）の現在分詞です。形容詞的に使うと、力・影響・状態などが弱体化している、または弱まりつつあることを表します。
Weakening describes something that is becoming less strong, effective, stable, or influential. It presents the loss of strength as an ongoing development, as in a weakening signal, a weakening economy, or a weakening level of support.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
原形 weaken「弱める・弱くなる」の語末 e を残して -ing を加えた現在分詞で、weak-en-ing と分けられます。weak「弱い」＋「〜にする」の -en が核です。a weakening signal、a weakening economy のように、力や状態が今まさに低下している場面と結び付けましょう。
Weakening is the present participle of weaken, made by adding -ing without dropping the final e. Break it into weak + -en + -ing: weak gives the basic idea, -en forms the verb “make or become weak,” and -ing presents the process as continuing. Picture a phone signal gradually fading or an economy steadily losing strength. Common combinations such as weakening signal, weakening support, and weakening economy reinforce the idea that something is not simply weak; its strength or effectiveness is currently decreasing.
例文
The weakening signal made the call hard to hear.
弱まる信号のせいで、通話が聞き取りにくくなりました。
The team noticed a weakening level of support.
チームは支援の水準が弱まりつつあることに気づきました。
A weakening economy can reduce demand for expensive products.
弱体化する経済は高価な商品の需要を減らすことがあります。
weakening の類義語・関連語
weakening の語源・成り立ち Etymology
weak は古英語 wac（弱い・力のない）にさかのぼるゲルマン系の語です。これに「〜にする」の -en が付いて weaken、さらに -ing で weakening となりました。weakness も同根で、「弱い状態へ向かう」が意味の核です。
Weakening is formed from weaken plus the present-participle ending -ing. Weaken combines weak, from Old Norse veikr and related Germanic forms meaning “weak,” with the verb-forming suffix -en, meaning “make or become.” The added -ing marks an ongoing action or condition. Weakness belongs to the same family, preserving the central concept of limited or declining strength.
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