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

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

“Italy is Europe’s weak link when it comes to energy because it is so dependent on energy imports.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 27, 2026

They are just looking for a weak link, he tells Panorama.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2025

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

A truly self-reliant person finds his weak link and strengthens it.

From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers