kryptonite

noun

kryp·​to·​nite ˈkrip-tə-ˌnīt How to pronounce kryptonite (audio)
variants or Kryptonite
in stories
: a substance that causes the comic-book character Superman to become weak when he is exposed to it

Note: In Superman stories, kryptonite in its most familiar form is a green mineral that originated as part of Superman's home planet of Krypton and that falls to Earth as a meteorite.

Superman tended to get more bummed out by Kryptonite than by anything going on in Clark Kent's life …Tom Russo
often used to describe something likened to kryptonite in causing someone's weakness, failure, etc.
In his career Thome has hit less than .240 against lefties. Lefthanded power pitching is Thome's KryptoniteJoe Posnanski
Ironic people always dissolve when confronted with earnestness, it's their kryptonite.Gillian Flynn
"Thin people know they need to either limit exposure to certain foods that trigger appetite or limit the quantity or frequency of those foods," says Gullo, whose personal kryptonite is pizza.Lorie Parch
Effortlessly good-looking, he was also a talented writer—that combo was my kryptonite.Taylor Orci

Examples of kryptonite in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Palace have emerged as their kryptonite since, winning each of their last three encounters 10-1 on aggregate. Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025 Since arriving in the big leagues, Minnesota Twins starter Joe Ryan has been the Kansas City Royals’ personal kryptonite. Kansas City Star, 7 Sep. 2025 With his extreme sensitivity to all sound, Niki’s kryptonite is a blue airhorn that Uri uses to control him once Niki begins to actively look for a way out. Caleb Hammond, IndieWire, 1 Sep. 2025 John Kosko of Pro Football Focus has identified Jackson's playoff problems as his biggest kryptonite entering the 2025 campaign. Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for kryptonite

Word History

Etymology

Krypton, Superman's home planet + -ite entry 1

First Known Use

1943, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kryptonite was in 1943

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Cite this Entry

“Kryptonite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kryptonite. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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