weakness
8 synonyms and 1 antonym for weakness, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The state of lacking strength or power.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use weakness
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
a weakness for
strengths and weaknesses
show weakness
Etymology
Came from Middle English wayknesse, weykenesse, which replaced the earlier Middle English forms wocnesse, wakenes, wacnesse ("weakness"), themselves from Old English wācnes ("weakness"). It is equivalent to weak + -ness.
Full origin of weakness →Frequently asked questions
What does “weakness” mean?
The word “weakness” means the state of lacking strength or power. In plain terms, lack of strength, a personal flaw, or (informally) a soft spot for something you find hard to resist.
How do you pronounce “weakness”?
“Weakness” is pronounced WEEK-nihs (/ˈwik.nɪs/ in IPA).
How do you use “weakness” in a sentence?
Here is “weakness” used in a sentence: “The weakness in her wrist made typing painful.”
What part of speech is “weakness”?
“Weakness” is a noun.
Is “weakness” a common word?
“Weakness” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “weakness” have?
“Weakness” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the state of lacking strength or power.
What is the difference between "weakness" and "flaw"?
"Weakness" can mean a lack of strength or power, or a shortcoming, and it can be physical, emotional, or structural. A "flaw" is specifically an imperfection or fault in something, so a flaw is one kind of weakness but weakness also covers a general absence of strength.
What is the opposite of "weakness"?
The opposite of "weakness" depends on the sense. When it means lacking strength or power, the opposite is "strength"; when it means a flaw or shortcoming, the opposite is closer to a "strong point" or "asset."
