Meaning & use
weak chin
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Meaning
nouncountable
A chin that is not very prominent and slopes back toward the neck, so the lower jaw looks small or soft.
Grammar: Countable: use 'a weak chin' or 'weak chins'; it describes a feature, not a medical condition.
Patterns
- have a weak chin
- a weak chin and a long nose
In the photograph, his weak chin made his face look rounder than it really was.
She grew a short beard to give her weak chin a stronger outline.
The character was drawn with a weak chin and narrow shoulders to make him seem timid.
Word forms
| plural | weak chins |
|---|
Common combinations
- a weak chin
- He has a weak chin and a high forehead.
- a slightly weak chin
- Her slightly weak chin is hidden by her hairstyle.
- a weak chin and a receding jawline
- The surgeon discussed how a weak chin and a receding jawline can affect the profile.
- give someone a weak chin
- The angle of the camera can give someone a weak chin in photos.
Synonyms and how they differ
- receding chin
- More technical and often used in medical or dental contexts; it emphasizes that the chin is set back.
- underdeveloped jaw
- Refers to the whole lower jaw, not just the chin, and sounds more clinical.
Opposites
Word family
- weak-chinned adjective
- Having a chin that is not prominent; often used in descriptions of faces.
Commonly confused: weak chin or double chin? weak chin or cleft chin?
weak chin vs double chin
A double chin is extra flesh under the jaw, while a weak chin is about the shape and position of the bone.
weak chin vs cleft chin
A cleft chin has a groove or dimple in the middle; it is not related to being weak or strong.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'weak chin' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A weak chin is about appearance and bone structure, not about chewing, headaches, or voice. Option 0 describes the visual effect correctly.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “weak chin”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.