If you have a weaknessfor something, you like it very much, although this is perhaps surprising or undesirable.
Stephen himself had a weakness for cats. [+ for]
His one weakness, apart from aeroplanes, is ice cream.
2. See also weak
More Synonyms of weakness
weakness in British English
(ˈwiːknɪs)
noun
1.
the state or quality of being weak
2.
a deficiency or failing, as in a person's character
3.
a self-indulgent fondness or liking
a weakness for chocolates
weakness in American English
(wiknɪs)
noun
1.
the state or quality of being weak
2.
a weak point; fault or defect, as in one's character
3.
a.
a liking; esp., an immoderate fondness (for something)
b.
something of which one is immoderately fond
candy is my one weakness
SIMILAR WORDS: fault
Examples of 'weakness' in a sentence
weakness
Yet its travails have exposed the glaring weaknesses at the heart of the European financial sector.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Its stance now is determinedly neutral; it could cut again if economic weakness requires it.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It is one of the great weaknesses of our time, of our country.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
There was one weakness, though.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
It is a great weakness.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But that, again, is a symptom of economic weakness rather than a cause.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
More important is a longstanding weakness of the economy : British businesses and the government simply do not invest enough.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Its very clarity and force shows the weakness of the case as it projects its strengths.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
To me this is one of the great weaknesses a wonderful sport.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The privatisation bill will also expose his political weakness.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We call it choking and put it down to weakness of character.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
There are too many weaknesses in the argument.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The one weakness they have against their major rivals is a lack of strength in depth.
The Sun (2013)
It said the impact could be compounded if other areas of economic weakness emerge.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
This vigorous attempt at counterattack merely results in further weaknesses.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The fiscal crisis instead reflects deep structural weaknesses in the economy.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
It is right that politicians should be tested and their weaknesses exposed.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
She was insistent that his problem was weakness of character.
John Cornwell Seminary Boy (2006)
Always admit weaknesses in your argument or acknowledge those facts that opponents might raise against your position.
Marius, Richard A Short Guide to Writing About History (1995)
Further weakness may provide a similar buying opportunity.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
It will also help firms by addressing historic weaknesses in the economy.
The Sun (2016)
Do you have a money weakness?
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
We know our weaknesses and failings.
Christianity Today (2000)
The con exploited the weakness of Government computer systems which failed to spot the same address.
The Sun (2011)
The straitjacket of monetary union has made it harder for Greece to resolve its structural economic weaknesses.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
What is your money weakness?
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The judge said: 'It failed to recognise the weakness of its case and the strength of the caseagainst it.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Criticism of both poets' works has been limited and different sorts of emphasis have led to verdicts that ignore strengths in one case and weaknesses in another.
The Times Literary Supplement (2011)
Quotations
A chain is no stronger than its weakest link
In other languages
weakness
British English: weakness /ˈwiːknɪs/ NOUN
lack of energyWeakness is the state of having little strength or energy.
Symptoms of infection include weakness, nausea, and vomiting.
American English: weakness
Arabic: ضَعْف
Brazilian Portuguese: fraqueza
Chinese: 虚弱
Croatian: slabost
Czech: slabost
Danish: svaghed
Dutch: zwakte
European Spanish: debilidad
Finnish: heikkous
French: faiblesse
German: Schwäche
Greek: αδυναμία
Italian: debolezza
Japanese: 弱いこと
Korean: 허약
Norwegian: svakhet
Polish: słabość
European Portuguese: fraqueza
Romanian: slăbiciune
Russian: слабость
Latin American Spanish: debilidad
Swedish: svaghet
Thai: ความอ่อนแอ
Turkish: zayıflık
Ukrainian: слабкість
Vietnamese: sự yếu ớt
British English: weakness NOUN
penchant If you have a weakness for something, you like it very much, although this is perhaps surprising or undesirable.
He himself had a weakness for cats.
American English: weakness
Brazilian Portuguese: fraqueza
Chinese: 癖好
European Spanish: debilidad
French: faible
German: Schwäche
Italian: debole
Japanese: >目がないこと～に
Korean: 지나치게 좋아함
European Portuguese: fraqueza
Latin American Spanish: debilidad
Chinese translation of 'weakness'
weakness
(ˈwiːknɪs)
n
(c) (= frailty) 虚(虛)弱 (xūruò)
(u)[of system, method]薄弱 (bóruò)
[of economy, currency, market]疲软(軟) (píruǎn)
[of sound, signal]微弱 (wēiruò)
(c) (= problem) 缺点(點) (quēdiǎn)
to have a weakness for sth特别(別)偏爱(愛)某物 (tèbié piān'ài mǒuwù)
1 (noun)
Definition
the state of being weak
Symptoms of anaemia include weakness and fatigue.
Synonyms
frailty
a triumph of will over human frailty
fatigue
exhaustion
He is suffering from nervous exhaustion.
fragility
seriously injured because of the fragility of their bones
infirmity
In spite of his infirmity, he is still producing plays.
debility
Anxiety or general debility can play a part in allergies.
feebleness
faintness
decrepitude
the boundary between healthy middle age and total decrepitude
enervation
Opposites
strength
,
power
,
health
,
virtue
,
validity
,
vitality
,
stamina
,
vigour
,
potency
,
hardiness
,
sturdiness
,
impregnability
2 (noun)
Definition
a self-indulgent liking
Carol has a great weakness for ice cream.
Synonyms
liking
She had a liking for good clothes.
appetite
our growing appetite for scandal
penchant
She had a penchant for playing jokes on people.
soft spot
passion
inclination
She set out to follow her artistic inclinations.
fondness
I've always had a fondness for jewels.
predilection
his predilection for expensive whisky
proclivity (formal)
Los Angeles's unique proclivity for experimental arty endeavour
partiality
a partiality for junk food
proneness
He has a proneness to making unfortunate remarks.
Opposites
dislike
,
hatred
,
loathing
,
aversion
3 (noun)
Definition
the state of being weak
People are always taking advantage of his weakness.
Synonyms
powerlessness
vulnerability
impotence
a sense of impotence in the face of disaster
meekness
We were reduced to an embarrassing posture of meekness and submission.
irresolution
spinelessness
ineffectuality
timorousness
cravenness
cowardliness
4 (noun)
She was quick to spot the weakness in his argument.
Synonyms
inadequacy
We all make an effort to ignore our own inadequacies.
deficiency
They did tests for signs of vitamin deficiency.
transparency
lameness
hollowness
implausibility
flimsiness
unsoundness
tenuousness
5 (noun)
Definition
a failing in a person's character
His main weakness was his bad temper.
Synonyms
failing
We are often unaware of our own failings.
fault
His manners always made her blind to his faults.
defect
The report pointed out the defects in the present system.
deficiency
the most serious deficiency in their air defence
flaw
The only flaw in his character is a short temper.
shortcoming
His book has its shortcomings.
blemish
the one blemish on an otherwise resounding success
imperfection
He concedes that there are imperfections in the socialist system.
Achilles' heel
chink in your armour
lack
Despite his lack of experience, he got the job.
Opposites
advantage
,
strength
, forte, strong point
related words
related phobiaasthenophobia
proverb
A chain is no stronger than its weakest link
Additional synonyms
in the sense of appetite
Definition
a liking or willingness
our growing appetite for scandal
Synonyms
desire,
liking,
longing,
demand,
taste,
passion,
stomach,
hunger,
willingness,
relish,
craving,
yearning,
inclination,
zeal,
zest,
propensity,
hankering,
proclivity,
appetence,
appetency
in the sense of blemish
Definition
a defect
the one blemish on an otherwise resounding success
Synonyms
defect,
fault,
weakness,
stain,
disgrace,
deficiency,
shortcoming,
taint,
inadequacy,
dishonour,
demerit
in the sense of debility
Definition
a state of weakness, esp. caused by illness
Anxiety or general debility can play a part in allergies.
Synonyms
weakness,
exhaustion,
frailty,
incapacity,
infirmity,
feebleness,
faintness,
decrepitude,
enervation,
enfeeblement,
sickliness
Synonyms of 'weakness'
weakness
Explore 'weakness' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of decrepitude
the boundary between healthy middle age and total decrepitude
Synonyms
weakness,
old age,
incapacity,
wasting,
invalidity,
senility,
infirmity,
dotage,
debility,
feebleness,
eld (archaic)
in the sense of defect
Definition
an imperfection or blemish
The report pointed out the defects in the present system.
Synonyms
deficiency,
want,
failing,
lack,
mistake,
fault,
error,
absence,
weakness,
flaw,
shortcoming,
inadequacy,
imperfection,
frailty,
foible
in the sense of deficiency
Definition
a lack or shortage
They did tests for signs of vitamin deficiency.
Synonyms
lack,
want,
deficit,
absence,
shortage,
deprivation,
inadequacy,
scarcity,
dearth,
privation (formal),
insufficiency,
scantiness
in the sense of deficiency
Definition
the state of being deficient
the most serious deficiency in their air defence
Synonyms
failing,
fault,
weakness,
defect,
flaw,
drawback,
shortcoming,
imperfection,
frailty,
demerit
in the sense of enervation
Synonyms
weakness,
weakening,
fatigue,
exhaustion,
impotence,
paralysis,
tiredness,
incapacity,
powerlessness,
infirmity,
lassitude,
debility,
feebleness,
prostration,
debilitation,
enfeeblement,
exhaustedness
in the sense of exhaustion
Definition
extreme tiredness
He is suffering from nervous exhaustion.
Synonyms
tiredness,
fatigue,
weariness,
lassitude,
feebleness,
prostration,
debilitation,
enervation
in the sense of fault
Definition
a weakness in a person's character
His manners always made her blind to his faults.
Synonyms
failing,
lack,
weakness,
defect,
deficiency,
flaw,
drawback,
shortcoming,
snag,
blemish,
imperfection,
Achilles heel,
weak point,
infirmity,
demerit
in the sense of flaw
Definition
an imperfection or blemish
The only flaw in his character is a short temper.
Synonyms
weakness,
failing,
defect,
weak spot,
spot,
fault,
scar,
blemish,
imperfection,
speck,
disfigurement,
chink in your armour
in the sense of fondness
I've always had a fondness for jewels.
Synonyms
liking,
love,
taste,
fancy,
attraction,
weakness,
preference,
attachment,
penchant,
susceptibility,
predisposition,
soft spot,
predilection,
partiality
in the sense of fragility
seriously injured because of the fragility of their bones
Synonyms
weakness,
delicacy,
frailty,
infirmity,
feebleness,
brittleness,
frangibility
Additional synonyms
in the sense of imperfection
Definition
a fault or defect
He concedes that there are imperfections in the socialist system.
Synonyms
fault,
failing,
weakness,
defect,
deficiency,
flaw,
shortcoming,
inadequacy,
frailty,
foible,
weak point
in the sense of impotence
a sense of impotence in the face of disaster
Synonyms
powerlessness,
inability,
helplessness,
weakness,
incompetence,
inadequacy,
paralysis,
inefficiency,
frailty,
incapacity,
infirmity,
ineffectiveness,
uselessness,
feebleness,
enervation,
inefficacy
in the sense of inclination
Definition
a liking, tendency, or preference
She set out to follow her artistic inclinations.
Synonyms
tendency,
liking,
taste,
turn,
fancy,
leaning,
bent,
stomach,
prejudice,
bias,
affection,
thirst,
disposition,
penchant,
fondness,
propensity,
aptitude,
predisposition,
predilection,
proclivity (formal),
partiality,
turn of mind,
proneness
in the sense of infirmity
Definition
the state of being infirm
In spite of his infirmity, he is still producing plays.
Synonyms
frailty,
ill health,
debility,
deficiency,
imperfection,
feebleness,
decrepitude,
sickliness
in the sense of lack
Definition
shortage or absence of something required or desired
Despite his lack of experience, he got the job.
Synonyms
shortage,
want,
absence,
deficiency,
need,
shortcoming,
deprivation,
inadequacy,
scarcity,
dearth,
privation (formal),
shortness,
destitution,
insufficiency,
scantiness,
debt
in the sense of meekness
We were reduced to an embarrassing posture of meekness and submission.
Synonyms
spinelessness,
resignation,
weakness,
tameness,
spiritlessness
in the sense of partiality
a partiality for junk food
Synonyms
liking,
love,
taste,
weakness,
preference,
inclination,
affinity,
penchant,
fondness,
predisposition,
predilection,
proclivity (formal)
in the sense of penchant
Definition
strong inclination or liking
She had a penchant for playing jokes on people.
Synonyms
liking,
taste,
tendency,
turn,
leaning,
bent,
bias,
inclination,
affinity,
disposition,
fondness,
propensity,
predisposition,
predilection,
proclivity (formal),
partiality,
proneness
in the sense of predilection
Definition
a preference or liking
his predilection for expensive whisky
Synonyms
liking,
love,
taste,
weakness,
fancy,
leaning,
tendency,
preference,
bias,
inclination,
penchant,
fondness,
propensity,
predisposition,
proclivity (formal),
partiality,
proneness
in the sense of proclivity
Definition
a tendency or inclination
Los Angeles's unique proclivity for experimental arty endeavour