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.
The Dodgers’ catching depth, with Will Smith still sidelined with a lingering neck injury, is the most obvious roster soft spot.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
I’ll admit: I have a soft spot for the whole enterprise.
From Salon ● Jul. 5, 2026
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
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
“Dan,” Joe Cassini said, “you get up there and paint the webs, but don’t scare them away. I’ve got a soft spot for that family.”
From "Frightful's Mountain" by Jean Craighead George
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.
