WEAKNESS Synonyms: 148 Similar and Opposite Words

weakness

noun

ˈwēk-nəs

Definition of weakness

as in fatigue

the quality or state of lacking physical strength or vigor the flu left me with such overwhelming weakness that I could hardly stand

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in softness

the quality or state of lacking strength of will or character in a moment of weakness he said yes to his daughter's request for a new toy

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as in fault

a defect in character his one weakness is his cockeyed optimism about everything

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as in vulnerability

the quality or state of having little resistance to some outside agent the devastating weakness of the immune system that is experienced by people with certain chronic conditions

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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 weakness Some programs use non-conference play to stack wins, while the more competitive programs use non-conference games as an opportunity to find potential weaknesses. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Sep. 2026 Traffic burdens residents daily, and heavy rain keeps exposing the same stormwater weaknesses. — Miami Herald Staff, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2026 The new country fell into economic crisis, highlighting the weaknesses of the government. — Sandra Slater, The Conversation, 21 Sep. 2026 Similarly, behavioral assessments also shed light on potential weaknesses, such as poor communication skills or a tendency to avoid conflict, which can be addressed proactively. — Karla Vallecillo, Hartford Courant, 18 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for weakness

Recent Examples of Synonyms for weakness

Noun

Compacted graphite iron also has a far greater fatigue limit, all while weighing less.

— Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 24 Sep. 2026
Pauses in breathing, gasping or daytime fatigue point to sleep apnea and require professional medical evaluation.

— Lauren Schuster, Sacbee.com, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of fatigue

Noun

The bolillo is made fresh daily by local bakery El Progreso, giving you that softness with each bite.

— Justin Brown, AJC.com, 20 Sep. 2026
The 1,000-Thread-Count Sateen Duvet Cover is woven from 100% Supima cotton for exceptional softness and comes in a classic white finish.

— Maria Conti, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of softness

Noun

The Duke of Sussex’s speech was marred by a fault with the teleprompter, forcing him to complete it in two halves.

— Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2026
Recently, Qnetic completed its first 100 continuous charge-discharge cycles with zero faults or degradation, a key indicator of its reliability.

— Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of fault

Noun

Lange, bless her, lends some stability to this narratively shaky material through her performance, effectively conveying a mix of vulnerability and grit as Constance.

— Jen Chaney, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2026
Minnesota Secretary of State Scott Simon, a Democrat, said in August that his office expects to spend roughly $250,000 on private vendors to conduct penetration testing, which can expose security vulnerabilities and recommend actionable fixes.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of vulnerability

Noun

But experts worry that weight loss that happens too rapidly can increase the likelihood of muscle loss — a risk that may be especially relevant for older adults with frailty who are already experiencing strength and mobility issues.

— Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 16 Sep. 2026
Plus, most participants had a BMI in the healthy range, so the findings may not apply to older adults with frailty or other chronic illnesses, Anderson noted.

— Stephanie Anderson Witmer, HEALTH, 13 Sep. 2026

Definition of frailty

Noun

But where Hwan’s Christianity is a willful, grotesque misreading of the Bible, Latif actively wrestles with his moral shortcomings.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
Head coach Jeff Hafley, who also doubles as the defensive playcaller, intends on pulling out all the stops to address the defense’s pass-rushing shortcoming.

— Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of shortcoming

Noun

Shift and feature two deep safeties, and the Bears could find susceptibilities in Minnesota’s ability to stop the run.

— Alec Lewis, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Operation Spider’s Web was a spectacular success for Ukrainian forces—and a chilling reminder of the United States’ susceptibility to a similar attack.

— Seth G. Jones, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2026