soft spot
Americannoun
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a weak or vulnerable position, place, condition, etc..
a soft spot in their fortifications; a soft spot in the economy.
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emotional susceptibility.
a soft spot for dogs and babies.
noun
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A weak or vulnerable point, as in That's the soft spot in his argument . [Mid-1900s]
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have a soft spot for . Have a tender or sentimental feeling for, as in Grandpa had a soft spot for Brian, his first grandson . This expression, first recorded in 1753 as “a soft place in one's heart,” uses soft in the sense of “tender.”
Etymology
Origin of soft spot
An Americanism dating back to 1835–45
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
One soft spot for the quarter came in the form of royalty payments, indicating that shipments of Arm-based chips may have been lower than expected during the period.
From Barron's • May 6, 2026
Trump has a well-known soft spot for the British monarchy, which his mother greatly respected, and is the only U.S. president to have been invited on two royal state visits to the U.K.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026
I have a soft spot for used bookstores: Visiting one in every new city has become a ritual of sorts for me.
From Slate • Mar. 8, 2026
Returning to George, who has his own spacious enclosure, Mrs Mansfield - though always cautious around him - clearly has a soft spot for the reptile.
From BBC • Dec. 28, 2025
“Mr. Avery, Nana Philly ain’t got a soft spot for anybody. Believe me, I would know.”
From Full of Beans by Jennifer L. Holm
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
