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.
I’ve always held a soft spot for the Forgotten Child types in fiction, which is easy enough since they’re usually the ones who are interesting enough to feature in TV series and movies.
From Salon ● May 20, 2026
For the rest of his life, had a soft spot for the meals she prepared during the lean years of World War II.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 27, 2026
Berkshire’s purchase of New York Times marks a trip down memory lane for the company since Berkshire has long had a soft spot for the newspaper business.
From Barron's ● Feb. 17, 2026
He may be playing Liam, but Usher admits to having a soft spot for Blur, too.
From BBC ● Feb. 16, 2026
Her soft spot for animals was well known at Swanburne— indeed, that is what had caught Miss Mortimer’s eye in the advertisement for the position.
From "The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book I: The Mysterious Howling" by Maryrose Wood
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.
