weakness
WEEK-nihs
Weakness (noun) means the state of lacking strength or power. Example: “After the long illness, he felt a general weakness in his legs.”
noun
1
The state of lacking strength or power.
"After the long illness, he felt a general weakness in his legs."
"The weakness of the old bridge worried the engineers."
"The weakness in her wrist made typing painful."
2
A flaw or shortcoming.
"The main weakness of the plan is that it relies on good weather."
"Being too trusting is her one real weakness."
"Poor time management is his biggest weakness at work."
3
A strong liking or susceptibility to something.
"My weakness is warm bread straight from the oven."
"He admits to a weakness for old science fiction films."
"She has a weakness for expensive chocolate."
How to use weakness
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishLack of strength, a personal flaw, or (informally) a soft spot for something you find hard to resist.
Common pairings
a weakness for
strengths and weaknesses
show weakness
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Word forms
- Plural
- weaknesses
Fill the gap
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After the long illness, he felt a general _____ in his legs.
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.
Synonyms
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Related words
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."
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