geschwächten

Geschwächten is the weak inflection form of the German attributive adjective derived from the past participle geschwächt, meaning “weakened.” In German grammar, adjectives that precede plural nouns with a definite determiner (such as der, die, das, dieser, jener, meine, deine, etc.) take the weak ending. Therefore, geschwächt becomes geschwächten in phrases like die geschwächten Kräfte, die geschwächten Staaten, or den geschwächten Gegnern. This contrasts with other declension patterns: after an indefinite article or without a determiner, the strong or mixed endings are used, for example geschwächte Kräfte (without a determiner) or eine geschwächte Gesellschaft (singular feminine with an indefinite article).

Usage and meaning: geschwächten is not a separate word with a distinct meaning; it is the inflected form of the participle/adjective describing something that has been weakened. It can modify nouns across various domains, including politics, history, medicine, and engineering, to indicate reduced strength, capacity, or effectiveness. Common collocations include geschwächten Kräfte (weakened forces), geschwächten Staaten (weakened states), or geschwächten Gegnern (weakened opponents, in dative plural).

Notes on form: as a participle used attributively, geschwächt often describes a state resulting from prior action, and its inflection follows standard German adjective declension rules. Predicative use (after a linking verb) typically uses geschwächt in the masculine, feminine, or neuter singular, rather than the plural -en form.

Etymology: geschwächten derives from haben/sein + geschwächt, with geschwächt functioning as the past participle of schwächen, “to weaken.” The -en ending is determined by the grammatical case and number of the noun it modifies.