weakness
gb/wˈiknəs/ us/wˈiknəs/
A2
English
~ 3000
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
state
1
Lack of physical strength
When someone or something is not strong and has little power or energy.
Usage pattern:
[someone] has weakness in [a body part]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'weakness' with 'disease', but 'weakness' is a symptom, not an illness itself.
Synonyms
frailty (Often used for physical weakness due to age or illness.)
Antonyms
strength (Refers to the physical power or force that is lacking in weakness.)
Collocations
physical weakness
|muscle weakness
|general weakness
|feeling of weakness
Themes
health
|daily life
|body
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- After the flu, she still felt a lingering weakness in her legs.
- The patient showed signs of muscle weakness after the surgery.
- Climbing the stairs was difficult because of his general weakness.
Learner examples
- I feel weakness in my arms.
- She has muscle weakness after being sick.
- He could not walk because of weakness.
Noun
B1
property
2
Fault in character or ability
A bad point in a person’s character or skills.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s weakness is [something]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'weakness' here with physical weakness, but this meaning is about personality or abilities.
Synonyms
flaw (A more general term for an imperfection; not limited to strength or ability.)
Antonyms
strength (Refers to a positive quality or skill instead of a fault.)
Collocations
personal weakness
|character weakness
|admit a weakness
Themes
emotions
|self-improvement
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Her main weakness is that she trusts people too easily.
- The interviewers asked him about his strengths and weaknesses.
- Impatience is one of his biggest weaknesses.
Learner examples
- My weakness is that I talk too much.
- Her weakness is that she gets angry quickly.
- He knows his weakness and wants to change it.
Noun
B1
entity
3
Strong liking for something irresistible
Something you like very much and find hard to stop yourself from having.
Usage pattern:
[someone] has a weakness for [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think this means being physically weak, but it's about liking something too much.
Synonyms
craving (Implies a strong desire, often for food or drink.)
Antonyms
dislike (The opposite of having a liking for something.)
Collocations
weakness for chocolate
|weakness for sweets
|have a weakness for
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|health
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I have a weakness for dark chocolate.
- Her weakness for designer shoes often gets her into debt.
- He admits he has a weakness for gambling.
Learner examples
- I have a weakness for ice cream.
- She has a weakness for cakes.
- He has a weakness for old movies.
Noun
B2
entity
4
Vulnerable point in system or plan
A part of something that can easily be hurt or cause problems because it is not strong.
Usage pattern:
[something] has a weakness in [area/aspect]
Synonyms
vulnerability (Often used in technical or security contexts to mean an exposed point of risk.)
Antonyms
strength (A strong point that supports the success of something.)
Collocations
security weakness
|structural weakness
|weakness in the plan
Themes
business
|security
|technology
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The software has a security weakness that hackers could exploit.
- There is a design weakness in the bridge structure.
- The plan's main weakness is its high cost.
Learner examples
- The wall has a big weakness.
- There is a weakness in the system.
- The team found a weakness in the rules.
Grammar
Dictionary form
weakness
IPA
GB/wˈiknəs/
US/wˈiknəs/
Syllables & stress
weak - ness (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (weak)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: weakness
- Plural: weakness, weaknesses
Word family
Expressions
have a weakness for
1/hˈæv ə wˈiknəs fɚ/
fixed phrase
To strongly like something irresistible
To like something very much and find it hard to resist.
Examples
- I have a weakness for Italian desserts.
- She has a weakness for romantic comedies.
one's Achilles' heel
1/wˈʌnz əkˈɪliz hˈil/
idiom
A specific fault or vulnerability
A small but important weakness that can cause someone to fail.
Examples
- His inability to delegate work is his Achilles' heel.
- For many students, time management is their Achilles' heel.
point of weakness
1/pˈɔɪnt əv wˈiknəs/
fixed phrase
Specific area lacking strength
A part or aspect that is not strong and may cause problems.
Examples
- We need to identify any point of weakness in our security system.
- Her argument had only one point of weakness.