as in back
a vulnerable point
the food supply proved to be the nation's Achilles' heel in its defense against terrorist attacks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of Achilles' heel
Starts have been the Achilles' heel for Mercedes, and especially Antonelli this season, something that was seen on Saturday morning during the Sprint.
—
Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 May 2026
With Jesse Minter stepping in to replace the legendary John Harbaugh, the pressure is on General Manager Eric DeCosta to provide his new coach with the tools necessary to fix a unit that proved to be the team's Achilles' heel last season.
—Cbs Baltimore Staff, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2026
The very thing that makes open source so powerful—its speed and accessibility—is also its Achilles' heel.
—Tony Bradley, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
For years, spacing has been an Achilles' heel, often clogging driving lanes for LeBron.
—Ricardo Klein, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
The Democrats' Achilles' heel Which brings us to the Achilles' heel for Democrats.
—Craig Gilbert, jsonline.com, 18 July 2025
Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 May 2026
With Jesse Minter stepping in to replace the legendary John Harbaugh, the pressure is on General Manager Eric DeCosta to provide his new coach with the tools necessary to fix a unit that proved to be the team's Achilles' heel last season.
—Cbs Baltimore Staff, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2026
The very thing that makes open source so powerful—its speed and accessibility—is also its Achilles' heel.
—Tony Bradley, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
For years, spacing has been an Achilles' heel, often clogging driving lanes for LeBron.
—Ricardo Klein, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
The Democrats' Achilles' heel Which brings us to the Achilles' heel for Democrats.
—Craig Gilbert, jsonline.com, 18 July 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for Achilles' heel
Noun
-
The risk/reward of the approach hinges on how well the right-back presses.—
Liam Tharme,
New York Times,
12 Dec. 2025
-
Trick or Treat In what was a banger year for New Orleans bounce projects—504icygrl’s Mardi Gras-ready Caked Up, OnlyHeaven’s cutesy KISS EP, and T99zy’s back-to-the-basics Nola to Global—the best rapping was on Treety’s Trick Or Treat.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
11 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Bruised or soft spots can be a sign of rot and can speed up the spoilage of the entire melon.—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 June 2026
-
When buying, look for green cucumbers that are firm and free of soft spots, which indicate rot.—
Susan Hall Mahon,
Southern Living,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Achilles' heel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Achilles%27%20heel. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
