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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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 This early success, however, exposed weaknesses within the Maratha army rather than resolving them. — Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026 No one knows the cautionary tale of Carter’s presidency more than our current president, who has repeatedly used it as a stand-in for presidential failure and American weakness. — S.e. Cupp, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026 Unfortunately, this happens quite often due to my complete lack of mobility as a perimeter defender, a weakness that appears to have nothing to do with the estrogen or testosterone levels of my opponent. — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026 Launching into a bear market is the tell Schwab shipped into weakness. — Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for weakness

Recent Examples of Synonyms for weakness

Noun

In melanoma patients, Keytruda treatment can result in fatigue, diarrhea, rash and inflammation of joints and muscles, as well as of healthy organs in some cases.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
The product is intended for people navigating screen-heavy workdays, mental fatigue, travel, irregular routines, or periods of rest before returning to focused tasks.

— William Jones, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of fatigue

Noun

As for footwear sales in the region, the second quarter saw a slowdown of sales of high-heat product, alongside tougher comparatives and ongoing softness in end-of-cycle footwear product lines.

— Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 20 Aug. 2026
The softness comes from construction decisions made three and four years ago, and the pipeline that produced it has already been cut hard.

— Tony Julianelle, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of softness

Noun

Deadly fires, often linked to electrical faults or gas cylinder explosions, are common in India where investigators have frequently pointed to safety lapses and inadequate enforcement of fire regulations as contributing to recurring loss of life.

— ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
If Russia behaved badly, that was the fault of its primitive and cruel Asian side, a notion that conveniently created the fiction that Western countries are not capable of similar cruelty.

— Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of fault

Noun

Microsoft entered the cybersecurity-model category in late July with MAI-Cyber-1-Flash, a compact model built specifically for vulnerability analysis.

— Ashish Bhatia, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
The vulnerability could be on defense after coordinator Jay Hill joined Kyle Whittingham at Michigan.

— Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of vulnerability

Noun

Spouses, in turn, asked what was being done to address issues of mental health and exhaustion, MS NOW reported.

— Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
In addition to the end of the capital expenditure boom that built these excess factories, the exhaustion of markets would create the conditions for a crisis.

— Michael B. G. Froman, Foreign Affairs, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of exhaustion

Noun

Causes linked to possible frailty are bucking the trend, though, with death rates from malnutrition up more than 50% from 2019.

— Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 9 Aug. 2026
Experts worry that the litany of unanswered questions surrounding medical frailty will lead to more vulnerable people getting kicked out of the program.

— Isabella Cueto, STAT, 30 July 2026

Definition of frailty

Noun

Allar has first-round physical traits, but his two biggest shortcomings are decision making and accuracy.

— Ted Nguyen, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
This level is often what challenges character development, revealing shortcomings that were not present in less challenging contexts.

— Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of shortcoming

Noun

Today, most 16- and 17-year-olds who commit crimes are generally handled in juvenile court because policymakers recognize that adolescents differ from adults in judgment, impulse control, risk assessment, and susceptibility to peer influence.

— Keith Wortz, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026
This offers one possible explanation for teenage risk-taking behavior and susceptibility to peer influence.

— J. Todd R. Lawrence, STAT, 27 July 2026