“rashin ƙarfi” kalma ce mai wuyar gaske kuma ba a saba gani ba, kuma maiyuwa ba za a same ta a yawancin ƙamus. Duk da haka, a cewar Merriam-Webster, "rashin ƙarfi" yana nufin "fashewa a buɗe; rabuwa; ko rarraba zuwa sassa da yawa". Ana amfani da shi sau da yawa a cikin mahallin kimiyya ko fasaha, musamman a fannin ilmin halitta ko ilmin ƙasa, don bayyana rabewar jiki ko rabuwar wani abu ko abu.