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• Achilles heel
  Achilles heel

  noun

  a portion, spot, area, or the like, that is especially or solely vulnerable.
• Achilles' heel
  Achilles' heel

  A point of vulnerability. (See Achilles.)

Achilles heel

American  

Or Achilles' heel

noun

1. a portion, spot, area, or the like, that is especially or solely vulnerable.

   His Achilles heel is his quick temper.

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Achilles heel British  

noun

1. a small but fatal weakness

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Achilles' heel Cultural  

1. A point of vulnerability. (See Achilles.)

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Achilles' heel Idioms  

1. A fatal weakness, a vulnerable area, as in This division, which is rarely profitable, is the company's Achilles' heel. The term alludes to the Greek legend about the heroic warrior Achilles whose mother tried to make him immortal by holding the infant by his heel and dipping him into the River Styx. Eventually he was killed by an arrow shot into his undipped heel. [c. 1800]

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Etymology

Origin of Achilles heel

First recorded in 1800–10

Example Sentences

Arsenal were direct rivals, fellow contenders for silverware, and here was their achilles heel not quite being dipped in the Styx.

From The Guardian • Jan. 22, 2016

Show your achilles heel and, rather than shoot a poisoned arrow at it, the reader will feel protective and on your side.

From The Guardian • Nov. 27, 2015

Jerry Jones achilles heel was embracing Chris Christie.

From New York Times • Jan. 10, 2015

Jerry Jones achilles heel was embracing Chris Christie.

From New York Times • Jan. 10, 2015

Age has always been Radio 1's achilles heel, and the policy that Ergatoudis is talking about has been cause for much criticism by artists who have been left off the Radio 1 roster.

From The Guardian • May 25, 2014