soft spot

American  

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.

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soft spot British  

noun

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

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soft spot Idioms  

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

2. 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.”

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Etymology

Origin of soft spot

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45

Example Sentences

I have a soft spot for the cinnamon coffee cake from Starbucks — or rather, for what I remember it being like when I was 12.

From Salon • Mar. 31, 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

The English have a soft spot for their pubs and Starmer said his government will offer them some help, though no one is sure exactly what it will be.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 19, 2026

Allison had been in the lot two hours; she’d had a soft spot in her work schedule and come down.

From Slate • Oct. 27, 2025

He knew I had a soft spot for him the way no one else in the family did, and he was taking advantage of it.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls