as in faults
a defect in character
his one weakness is his cockeyed optimism about everything
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Recent Examples of weaknesses
Blending technology and old-fashioned instruction Among Colorado’s weaknesses last season, starting pitching was the most glaring.
—
Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 19 Feb. 2026
His floor is described as very high due to every-day playing time, a solid lineup role and no glaring category weaknesses.
—Derek Vanriper, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2026
The game began like a heavyweight title fight, with both teams cautiously probing the other for weaknesses.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
But ask anyone who knows him about Kuechly’s weaknesses, and the first thing that might come up is his deflection of praise.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 17 Feb. 2026
In the northeast, insurgent groups exploit institutional weaknesses and economic vulnerability.
—Yusuf Tuggar, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
But Counsell isn’t picky with what another offensive step forward looks like for Crow-Armstrong, who understands his strengths and weaknesses as a hitter.
—Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 15 Feb. 2026
The subfreezing temperatures that persisted, in some places for several days, exposed deep weaknesses in The state’s power grid and emergency preparedness.
—Newsroom Meteorologist, Houston Chronicle, 13 Feb. 2026
If your goal is to get at the truth, or at least our closest approximation of it at the present time, the way to do that is to be scrupulous and forthright about the strengths and weaknesses of every link in your chain of argument.
—Big Think, 10 Feb. 2026
Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 19 Feb. 2026
His floor is described as very high due to every-day playing time, a solid lineup role and no glaring category weaknesses.
—Derek Vanriper, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2026
The game began like a heavyweight title fight, with both teams cautiously probing the other for weaknesses.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
But ask anyone who knows him about Kuechly’s weaknesses, and the first thing that might come up is his deflection of praise.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 17 Feb. 2026
In the northeast, insurgent groups exploit institutional weaknesses and economic vulnerability.
—Yusuf Tuggar, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
But Counsell isn’t picky with what another offensive step forward looks like for Crow-Armstrong, who understands his strengths and weaknesses as a hitter.
—Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 15 Feb. 2026
The subfreezing temperatures that persisted, in some places for several days, exposed deep weaknesses in The state’s power grid and emergency preparedness.
—Newsroom Meteorologist, Houston Chronicle, 13 Feb. 2026
If your goal is to get at the truth, or at least our closest approximation of it at the present time, the way to do that is to be scrupulous and forthright about the strengths and weaknesses of every link in your chain of argument.
—Big Think, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for weaknesses
Noun
-
Barca’s faults, however, went far beyond him.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
12 Feb. 2026
-
These mini-seismic events are not considered true earthquakes because there is no movement along faults or tectonic plate boundaries.—
Tammie Souza,
CBS News,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
According to industry experts, teachers have often become the shock absorbers of systemic shortcomings, and students are among those most affected by the resulting gaps in engagement and preparation for future challenges.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Jagged shards of memory shown in flashbacks suggest Laura’s fear and vulnerability as a young girl (played by the filmmakers’ daughter Eliz Mundruczó), alongside indications of narcissistic, at times violent Ivan’s shortcomings as a parent.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Its roots are in publicly paying penance for serious sins or crimes in the eyes of the church, like adultery or apostasy, which means renouncing the church and its beliefs.—
Lianna Norman,
Florida Times-Union,
16 Feb. 2026
-
The attempt to expunge Andrew and his sins from the Royal Family is interesting insofar as it is doomed.—
Sam Knight,
New Yorker,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Why are women more susceptible to vitamin D deficiencies?—
Stephanie Brown,
Verywell Health,
20 Feb. 2026
-
In a study, Microsoft scientists sought to overcome those deficiencies by using femtosecond lasers, which fire high-power laser pulses just quadrillionths of a second long.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Unpredictable funding from Congress compounds these failings.—
Marc Scribner,
Oc Register,
8 Feb. 2026
-
The report claimed these changes were made to minimize the city and fire department’s failings.—
Barnini Chakraborty,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Weaknesses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weaknesses. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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