Meaning & use
weak-willed person
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Meaning
nouncountabledisapproving
A person who lacks the determination to stick to decisions or resist influence from others.
Grammar: The adjective 'weak-willed' comes before the noun 'person'. You can also say 'a weak-willed man/woman/child'.
Patterns
- a weak-willed person
- be weak-willed
- too weak-willed to do something
He is a weak-willed person who changes his mind whenever someone disagrees.
She was too weak-willed to say no to the offer.
Calling someone a weak-willed person can be hurtful, so use the phrase carefully.
Word forms
| comparative | more weak-willed |
|---|---|
| superlative | most weak-willed |
Common combinations
- a weak-willed person
- A weak-willed person often follows the crowd.
- too weak-willed to resist
- He was too weak-willed to resist the pressure.
- weak-willed and indecisive
- The character is portrayed as weak-willed and indecisive.
Synonyms and how they differ
- spineless
- Stronger and more insulting; it suggests a complete lack of courage.
- indecisive
- Focuses on difficulty making decisions, not on being easily influenced.
- irresolute
- Formal and less common; it means unsure and hesitant.
Opposites
Word family
- weak-willed adjective
- The adjective form, used before a noun or after 'be'.
- willpower noun
- The ability to control your own actions and decisions.
Commonly confused: weak-willed person or weak-willed vs. strong-willed?
weak-willed person vs weak-willed vs. strong-willed
'Strong-willed' means determined and firm; 'weak-willed' is the opposite. The hyphen is important in both.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'weak-willed' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The correct compound adjective is 'weak-willed' with a hyphen and '-ed'. 'Weak will' is a noun phrase, 'weakly-willed' is not standard, and 'weak-will' is not used as an adjective.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “weak-willed person”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.