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weakness

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weakness

  • /ˈwiːk.nɪs/ UK
  • /ˈwiːk.nəs/ UK
  • /ˈwik.nɪs/ US
  • /ˈwik.nəs/ US
  • /ˈwiːk.nɪs/ Australia
  • [ˈwɪiːk.nɪs] Australia
  • [ˈwɪ̈iːk.nɪs] Australia

Where it comes from

From Middle English weyknesse, replacing earlier Middle English wocnesse, wakenes, wacnesse (“weakness”), from Old English wācnes (“weakness”). Equivalent to weak + -ness.

noun weaknesses · weakenes

  1. uncountable The condition of being weak. Near-synonyms: debility, frailty, vulnerability; vincibility

    Similar: debility, frailty, vulnerability, vincibility · Opposite: strength, power, powerfulness, invulnerability, invincibility

  2. countable An inadequate quality; fault. His inability to speak in front of an audience was his weakness.

    Similar: defect, flaw, hole · Opposite: strength, forte

  3. countable A special fondness or obsessing desire. She is an athlete who has a weakness for chocolate.

    Similar: soft spot

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: failing, helplessness, impuissance, frailty, weak, debility, timidity, impairment, sluggishness, weakening, disability, shortage, vulnerability, scarcity, vulnerable, fault

Translations

Every language

noun condition of being weak

Españoldebilidad, flaqueza
한국어약함 yakham
日本語弱さ yowasa, 弱小 jakushō, 脆弱 zeijaku
中文虛弱 /虚弱 xūruò, 軟弱 /软弱 ruǎnruò, 薄弱 bóruò
हिन्दीनिर्बलता nirbaltā, दुर्बलता durbaltā, अक्षमता akṣamtā, शिथिलता śithiltā
Kiswahiliajizi
Portuguêsfraqueza
Françaisfaiblesse
DeutschSchwäche
Italianodebolezza, cagionevolezza, fievolezza
Ελληνικάαδυναμία adynamía
Русскийсла́бость slábostʹ
العربيةضَعْف ḍaʕf
עבריתחולשה khulshá

noun fault

Españolpunto débil
한국어약점 yakjeom
日本語弱点 jakuten, 弱み yowami, 泣き所 nakidokoro
हिन्दीखोट khoṭ
Portuguêsponto fraco, fraqueza
Françaisfaiblesse, point faible
Italianodebolezza, punto debole, tallone di Achille
Русскийнедоста́ток nedostátok

noun special fondness

Españoldebilidad por, cariño
日本語弱み yowami
Portuguêsqueda, fraco
Françaisfaible
DeutschSchwäche, Faible
Italianodebole, debolezza
Românăfeblețe
Русскийсла́бость slábostʹ

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Cite this
MLA

"weakness." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/weakness. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

weakness. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/weakness

Chicago

"weakness." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/weakness.

BibTeX
@misc{weakness_2026,
  title = {weakness},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/weakness},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}