soft spot

noun

1. a weak or vulnerable position, place, condition, etc..

   a soft spot in their fortifications; a soft spot in the economy.

2. emotional susceptibility.

   a soft spot for dogs and babies.

soft spot

noun

1. a sentimental fondness (esp in the phrase have a soft spot for )

Word History and Origins

Origin of soft spot¹

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45

Idioms and Phrases

A weak or vulnerable point, as in That's the soft spot in his argument . [Mid-1900s]

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.”

Example Sentences

But after noticing that Molly's fontanelle - the soft spot on the top of her head - was bulging when she was 12 weeks, a doctor in A&E diagnosed a large brain tumour.

From BBC

Spread the ball around to exploit soft spots in Denver’s secondary.

From Los Angeles Times

Steve Wilson: I'm not sure a club with their pedigree can be labelled a 'surprise package' exactly, but I have a real soft spot for Juventus, so I want them to do really well.

From BBC

Urie is nominated in the category alongside his co-star Harrison Ford, who plays Paul, a curmudgeon therapist with a soft spot who finds love again while navigating Parkinson’s disease.

From Los Angeles Times

Still, neither a soft spot in the schedule nor the realities of the calendar has remedied that issue.

From Los Angeles Times