Adjective We heard a faint noise. the faint glow of a distant light There was a faint smile on her lips. There's just a faint chance that the weather will improve by tomorrow. a faint reminder of their former greatness I'd better lie down; I feel faint. She felt faint from hunger. Verb He always faints at the sight of blood. She almost fainted from the pain. She suffers from fainting spells. Noun shocking news can cause a person to fall into a faintSee More
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The season will start with some faint glimmer of competence; maybe a record of 5-3. Daniel Kohn, SPIN, 7 Sep. 2022 The faint after-smells—much like the lingering presence of a downpour—were important to her. André-naquian Wheeler, Vogue, 7 Sep. 2022 Signs of heat exhaustion can include cool or moist skin with goosebumps, heavy sweating, feeling faint or tired, an unusual heart rate, muscle cramps, a headache or nausea. Jen Christensen, CNN, 6 Sep. 2022 There was faint applause as Natisha Hiedeman drove for the easy layup as time ran out. Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 4 Sep. 2022 All conversations with the Voyagers are faint, intermittent and slow. Sumeet Kulkarni, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2022 As with all things Pagani, Gibellini’s camera is neither for the mass consumers nor the financially faint of heart. Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 2 Sep. 2022 His pulse had become faint by the time he was put in an ambulance and taken to a local hospital. Charmaine Patterson, Peoplemag, 2 Sep. 2022 That aligns with other signs that the historically strong job market is offering faint signs of easing as the Federal Reserve raises interest rates to tamp down inflation running near a four-decade high. Sarah Chaney Cambon, WSJ, 1 Sep. 2022
Verb
Light in body yet full in flavor, the mid-palate’s sweet rice and lemon spritz gives way to faint herbal hops at the finish. Peter Rowe, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2022 In the heightened climate crisis imagined in this novel, birds drop en masse from the sky and heat waves cause baseball players to faint mid-game.The New Yorker, 9 May 2022 That year, at least five guards reportedly appeared to faint — lying face down in the pink gravel of Horse Guards Parade as temperatures hit 80 degrees. Natasha Dado, PEOPLE.com, 1 Apr. 2022 The play delivered an all-time Cavs bench reaction, with Darius Garland jumping into the arms of Isaac Okoro, and Okoro pretending to faint. Ashley Bastock, cleveland, 7 Mar. 2022 When combined with even a small amount of alcohol, Addyi causes users to faint from low blood pressure, while 40 percent of Vyleesi users experience nausea. Lux Alptraum, Wired, 10 Feb. 2022 The massive amount of blood on the ice caused several spectators to faint. Dom Amore, courant.com, 11 Jan. 2022 Known for their strict rules and protocols, guardsmen are even expected to faint in a certain way. Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE.com, 29 Dec. 2021 At which point any secret Cartesians in the cinema will faint with unbearable delight and have to be revived with a splash of Mountain Dew. Anthony Lan, The New Yorker, 17 Sep. 2021
Noun
Being a queen is a grown woman’s job, and not for the faint of heart. Monica Hesse, Washington Post, 8 Sep. 2022 While lacquered walls aren’t for the faint of heart, their glossy finish really packs a punch. Bebe Howorth, ELLE Decor, 8 Sep. 2022 Once again, though, be warned: This series is not for the faint of heart. Andy Meek, BGR, 6 Sep. 2022 Her new gig is not for the faint of heart; many a talented celebrity has tried to make it as a talk show host, only to face cancellation after just one season. Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2022 Obviously, this experience is not for the faint of heart, and due to the intensity of the haunt, it is not recommended for anyone under the age of 16. Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 31 Aug. 2022 Much like The Exorcist, Audition has become a film of legend, that is not for the faint of heart. Amy Mackelden, Harper's BAZAAR, 25 Aug. 2022 Restaurant-hopping with a baby in tow is not for the faint of heart, but restaurant workers like Max took care of me. Alyssa Shelasky, BostonGlobe.com, 25 Aug. 2022 Come hungry, as these portions and dishes are not for the faint of heart. Chelsea Davis, Forbes, 25 Aug. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English feint, faynt "deceiving, false, lacking in spirit or courage, listless, wearied, feeble, pale," borrowed from Anglo-French, "deceiving, false, lacking in spirit, weak," from present participle of feindre, faindre "to make, fabricate, pretend, dissemble, lose heart, fade" — more at feign
Verb
Middle English feinten, faynten "to pretend, lack spirit, become enfeebled, grow weak, fade," verbal derivative of feint, faynt "deceiving, lacking in spirit, wearied" — more at faint entry 1