1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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3
as in fault
a defect in character
his one weakness is his cockeyed optimism about everything
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4
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
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Recent Examples of weakness
But therein lies an inherent weakness in the checks and balances of our glorious Constitution.
—
U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2026
Each anniversary is a yardstick used to measure Americans’ fidelity to or betrayal of the nation’s founding principles, its people’s moral progress or decay, its economy’s growth or decline, and the strength or weakness of civil society, of democracy, of freedom, of equality.
—Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Situations in which revealing your greatest weakness could enable an immediate win—and also threaten a long-term loss?
—Literary Hub, 2 Mar. 2026
An undersized guard at 6 feet, his defensive ability has always been a weakness.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for weakness
U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2026
Each anniversary is a yardstick used to measure Americans’ fidelity to or betrayal of the nation’s founding principles, its people’s moral progress or decay, its economy’s growth or decline, and the strength or weakness of civil society, of democracy, of freedom, of equality.
—Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Situations in which revealing your greatest weakness could enable an immediate win—and also threaten a long-term loss?
—Literary Hub, 2 Mar. 2026
An undersized guard at 6 feet, his defensive ability has always been a weakness.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for weakness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for weakness
Noun
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That mental fatigue is to be expected, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, after Yamamoto’s two-year transition from Japan’s professional league to back-to-back World Series titles with the Dodgers.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Prolonged dehydration can lead to a whole host of health issues, like headaches, muscle cramps, and fatigue.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Better Homes & Gardens Paisley Medallion Cotton Quilt To keep you cool throughout the warmer seasons, the BHG x Walmart quilt is made from 100% cotton with a pre-washed and pre-shrunk cotton fill for maximum softness, comfort, and breathability.—
Carly Totten,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 Feb. 2026
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The ballet blush look brings the softness and subtle sheen of light pink satin to the cheeks.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The defense is flawed, the government argued, because Song is not free from fault in prompting Gross’ use of force and the defense cannot show Gross’ pointing his gun at the fleeing person was objectively unreasonable under the circumstances.—
Emerson Clarridge
Updated March 5,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Mar. 2026
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Restaurant operators acknowledged their own faults for lengthening the permit process, including by providing incorrect or incomplete information, according to the report.—
Miguel Otárola,
Denver Post,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Meanwhile, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has canceled various assessments to determine vulnerabilities to critical infrastructure.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Mar. 2026
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The group pummelled the bot with more than 1,000 prompts to bypass the safeguards and convince Claude they were allowed to test the system for vulnerabilities.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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My own experience with night pests was at a time of utter exhaustion— too much work undertaken, interlocking circumstances that made the work twice as arduous, illness within and around— the old story of troubles never coming singly.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Mar. 2026
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Prolonged war and psychological exhaustion are already creating strain even among those united in their desire for regime change.—
Pegah Banihashemi,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Wealth tax proponents acknowledge some of the shortcomings of European wealth taxes.—
Jared Walczak,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 Mar. 2026
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Perhaps adults in her life did not admit their shortcomings easily.—
Yiyun Li,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
What has changed is not human susceptibility but machine competence.—
Deb Roy,
The Atlantic,
15 Feb. 2026
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There needs to be more careful selection of judges to vet for susceptibility to corruption, and more transparency in how scores are derived.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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When hair endures damage from styling treatments, color, or heat, the hair’s keratin composition can be compromised, leading to feebleness and a greater risk of breakage.—
Sophie Wirt,
InStyle,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Weakness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weakness. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
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