weakness

American  

[week-nis] / ˈwik nɪs /

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.

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weakness British  

/ 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

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weakness Idioms  

1. see have a weakness for.

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Related Words

See fault.

Other Word Forms

• nonweakness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of weakness

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

Explanation

The point where something fails to work properly or to hold up is its weakness. If a building crumbles in a storm, it's probably because of a weakness — a flaw or defect — in its structure. Weakness can indicate a physical weakness, like a chair with one wobbly leg, or flaw in an idea, like a plan for a lemonade stand that doesn't include any cups for serving the lemonade. People can show weakness too, when they are helpless to take action. The origin of weakness can be traced all the way back to its Proto-Indo-European root of weik, "to bend."

Example Sentences

Weakness began with a bearish engulfing candle and a harami on Sept. 11 and Sept. 23, respectively.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

Weakness in rival edible oils following the announcement also weighed on palm oil prices, Kenanga Futures says in a note.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

Weakness in cryptocurrencies weighed on the quarter following last year’s sharp drop in digital asset values.

From Barron's • Feb. 11, 2026

Weakness reflected in the dollar’s January slide may remain, as investors’ confidence in the world’s reserve currency may be somewhat shaken.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 2, 2026

The terrorists thought that they would change our aims and stop our. ambitions, but nothing changed in my life except this: Weakness, fear, and hopelessness died.

From "Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Changed the World" by Malala Yousafzai

Related Words

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