as in weaknesses
a defect in character
could tolerate my uncle's foibles because we loved him dearly
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Recent Examples of foibles
Adjusting to life in a Purosangue requires a zen-like commitment to dealing with electronic foibles.
—
Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
That includes the tacky Featherington family, the cane-wielding Lady Danbury, and the mysterious Lady Whistledown, whose newsletter sets the town ablaze by detailing the foibles of the bold and the beautiful by name.
—Sara Netzley, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Jan. 2026
His tendencies and foibles are well known to voters, politicians, and world leaders.
—David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 20 Jan. 2026
Her humanity is foregrounded, and Lloyd Parry avoids sensationalism by honing in on his strengths; his knowledge of the culture and justice system of both Japan and England and his ability to communicate the foibles and quirks of both.
—Rebecca Hannigan, PEOPLE, 10 Jan. 2026
But the tone is often more satiric than somber, Park highlighting Man-su’s foibles and insecurities.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2026
Still, some of these foibles are easier to forgive when seen in service of the greater good.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 5 Jan. 2026
There were triumphs and trials, feats and foibles, delights and disasters.
—Anthony Bettin, CBS News, 23 Dec. 2025
Yet where experimentation generally teaches new lessons, this felt more like reinforcement of where England are good and where England still have problems, a performance punctuated by familiar defensive frustrations and foibles.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
That includes the tacky Featherington family, the cane-wielding Lady Danbury, and the mysterious Lady Whistledown, whose newsletter sets the town ablaze by detailing the foibles of the bold and the beautiful by name.
—Sara Netzley, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Jan. 2026
His tendencies and foibles are well known to voters, politicians, and world leaders.
—David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 20 Jan. 2026
Her humanity is foregrounded, and Lloyd Parry avoids sensationalism by honing in on his strengths; his knowledge of the culture and justice system of both Japan and England and his ability to communicate the foibles and quirks of both.
—Rebecca Hannigan, PEOPLE, 10 Jan. 2026
But the tone is often more satiric than somber, Park highlighting Man-su’s foibles and insecurities.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2026
Still, some of these foibles are easier to forgive when seen in service of the greater good.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 5 Jan. 2026
There were triumphs and trials, feats and foibles, delights and disasters.
—Anthony Bettin, CBS News, 23 Dec. 2025
Yet where experimentation generally teaches new lessons, this felt more like reinforcement of where England are good and where England still have problems, a performance punctuated by familiar defensive frustrations and foibles.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foibles
Noun
-
The board spent months sizing up strengths and weaknesses of external and internal candidates.—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The salt, slush, and cold weather of winter often reveal weaknesses in your home cleaning routine, and the bathroom is often the first place those cracks appear.—
Katie Cloyd,
Martha Stewart,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Advertisement For all her legion of faults, Hasina kept a lid on extremism and had even recognized a transgender-protection law.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Most important, in none of the previous San Ramon swarms has a major earthquake been triggered on the Calaveras Fault or other nearby faults.—
Paul Rogers,
Mercury News,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Mattison was excited about the possibility of helping the Dolphins solve their short-yardage shortcomings, a problem that had bedeviled them the previous two seasons.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
3 Feb. 2026
-
But finding a way to reimagine a roster to account for his strengths and shortcomings is a major undertaking and the list of realistic suitors is limited even before considering scheme and depth-chart implications.—
Dan Woike,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Which draws the attention of another ghost, a French man with a stack of papers documenting the man’s sins.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Whatever your preconceived notions about Feldman are, Hume’s film will expand and challenge them; the movie’s greatness lies in its ability to capture all of Feldman’s contradictions and self-destructiveness, empathizing with him without soft-pedaling his sins.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Foibles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foibles. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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