| verb | lessen the strength of “The fever weakened his body” |
| verb | become weaker “The prisoner's resistance weakened after seven days” |
| verb | destroy property or hinder normal operations “The Resistance sabotaged railroad operations during the war” |
| verb | reduce the level or intensity or size or scope of “de-escalate a crisis” |
| verb | lessen in force or effect “soften a shock” |
| weakener | noun | that which weakens or causes a loss of strength |
| weakening | noun | the act of reducing the strength of something |
| sabotage | noun | a deliberate act of destruction or disruption in which equipment is damaged |
| de-escalation | noun | (war) a reduction in intensity (of a crisis or a war) |
| step-down | noun | the act of decreasing or reducing something |
| damper | noun | a movable iron plate that regulates the draft in a stove or chimney or furnace |