weak link

Idioms  

1. The least dependable member of a group, as in The shipping department, slow in getting out orders, is our weak link in customer service, or They're all very capable designers except for Ron, who is clearly the weak link. This expression alludes to the fragile portion of a chain, where it is most likely to break. [Mid-1800s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

weak link

TORONTO—For decades, Canada’s military has been considered a weak link in NATO.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026

While private-equity deals and asset sales are continuing the recovery begun last year, fundraising remains the weak link.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 3, 2026

During the regular season he was among the six worst quarterbacks under pressure, throwing as many picks as touchdowns — six — while proving to be this team’s weak link.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 6, 2026

I, like many others, thought he would be the weak link against City, and expected Erling Haaland to get away from him and score.

From BBC ● Nov. 25, 2024

One potential weak link that spring seemed to be Joe Rantz.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown