weakness

[ week-nis ]

noun

1. the state or quality of being weak; lack of strength, firmness, vigor, or the like; feebleness.

   Synonyms: fragility

   Antonyms: strength

2. an inadequate or defective quality, as in a person's character; slight fault or defect:

   to show great sympathy for human weaknesses.

   Synonyms: flaw

3. a self-indulgent liking or special fondness, as for a particular thing:

   I've always had a weakness for the opera.

   Synonyms: appetite, hunger, passion, penchant

4. an object of special desire; something very difficult to resist:

   Chocolates were her weakness.

weakness

/ ˈwiːknɪs /

noun

1. the state or quality of being weak
2. a deficiency or failing, as in a person's character
3. a self-indulgent fondness or liking

   a weakness for chocolates

Other Words From

• non·weakness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of weakness¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English waikenes, weikenes. See weak, -ness

Idioms and Phrases

see have a weakness for .

Synonym Study

See fault.

Example Sentences

There are some serious weaknesses in Cooper’s fledgling outing as writer and director, but these weaknesses are covered over by the galvanic chemistry between Cooper and Gaga.

From Washington Blade

Many if not all people may have very specific genetic vulnerabilities, such as weaknesses in their immune system, that go unnoticed until one particular pathogen crosses their path.

From Quanta Magazine

Knowing the details of your brand health will help you see the strengths and weaknesses of your branding, and help you decide on the future actions regarding it.

From Search Engine Watch

A side-channel attack is one that doesn’t exploit weaknesses in the underlying cryptographic system, but instead in the way it is implemented in software and hardware.

From Singularity Hub 

Poland does, however, find “interesting” the idea that rain could cause weaknesses in the ground that lead to lava eruptions.

From Science News For Students

In fact, experts in airport security have long worried about this weakness.

From The Daily Beast

Koenig apologies for what she seems to treat as a sign of weakness.

From The Daily Beast

She became extremely unpopular and was widely blamed for the King's growing weakness as he aged.

From The Daily Beast

A situation like the current one is likely to accentuate his weakness.

From The Daily Beast

Yes, 2014 was a big Republican win, but this idea that Obama showed exceptional weakness in the midterms is simply inaccurate.

From The Daily Beast

More foolish, more culpable weakness was never shown than in thus yielding to these schemes.

From Project Gutenberg

He was guilty of the weakness of taking refuge in what is called, I believe, in legal phrase, a side-issue.

From Project Gutenberg

Allcraft winced, as every syllable made known the speaker's actual strength—his own dependence and utter weakness.

From Project Gutenberg

Cleverly though they manipulate, cleanliness is not their besetting weakness.

From Project Gutenberg

Again, he may grow faint and dizzy when he has climbed only a part of the way, or he may lose his hold from very weakness.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• deficiency
• failing
• flaw
• fragility
• frailty
• gap
• instability
• lack
• lapse
• shortcoming
• vulnerability