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the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak

idiom

used to say that a person wants to do something but cannot from lack of strength or energy
often used humorously
I try to get up early and exercise, though sometimes the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

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“The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20spirit%20is%20willing%20but%20the%20flesh%20is%20weak. Accessed 27 Nov. 2025.

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