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
Relevance
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in fault
a defect in character
his one weakness is his cockeyed optimism about everything
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Outside shooting could be a concern, but that weakness hasn’t slowed his back-to-back Big East champs.
—
Cj Moore
june 2, New York Times, 2 June 2026
Cardoso is fairly open about her weaknesses on defense, which can overshadow her fairly consistent scoring output.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2026
Your culture of urgency and deference is not a weakness in your people.
—Jason Walker Psyd, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
But this young Bond has a noticeable weakness.
—Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for weakness
Cj Moore
june 2, New York Times, 2 June 2026
Cardoso is fairly open about her weaknesses on defense, which can overshadow her fairly consistent scoring output.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2026
Your culture of urgency and deference is not a weakness in your people.
—Jason Walker Psyd, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
But this young Bond has a noticeable weakness.
—Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for weakness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for weakness
Noun
-
Gilgeous-Alexander finished with a game-high 35 points and nine assists but wasn’t enough to carry a Thunder team that limped to the finish line, dealing with fatigue and a slew of injuries.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
31 May 2026
-
Most adults including pregnant people either have no symptoms or experience mild, flu-like illness such as fever, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, and muscle or joint aches.—
Dr. Megan Yanny,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
Even the fries deserved praise, arriving hot and crisp with just enough softness inside.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
29 May 2026
-
Last quarter, Barry said the company was seeing a divergence in higher-income shoppers and lower-income shoppers, with softness in higher-cost item sales.—
Laya Neelakandan,
CNBC,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
School fires are common in Kenyan boarding schools, with some caused by arson and others by electrical faults.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
-
Yes, this viewpoint is that the AI is at fault.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
My clinical work places me at the intersection of childhood, mobility and brain vulnerability.—
Myron Rolle,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 May 2026
-
Concerns surrounding maritime chokepoints, Red Sea shipping disruptions, and broader geopolitical tensions have reinforced Beijing’s focus on reducing vulnerability to external energy shocks.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
What the poll cannot quite capture is the exhaustion driving those beliefs.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
2 June 2026
-
What happened when exhaustion appeared?—
Irma Davarashvili,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Supporters say the bill was designed to address shortcomings identified after the Evergreen shooting.—
Jamie Leary,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
-
That was before the IPO filing laid out an even bigger number, and well before Musk chimed in this week, effectively acknowledging that the prospectus has shortcomings.—
Lora Kolodny,
CNBC,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Strawberry Planters Strawberries require unique growing conditions due to their shallow roots, trailing growth, and susceptibility to pests and root rot.—
Wendy Rose Gould,
Martha Stewart,
14 May 2026
-
But the gaps this outbreak revealed in our ability to respond, and our immense susceptibility to a virus more capable and catastrophic, will remain.—
Craig Spencer,
STAT,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
As Kasubhai observed, despite its legal feebleness, Kennedy’s declaration and its explicit threat has had a concrete impact on the provision of gender-affirming services to American youths.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Signs of disease include warts on legs, crusty or swollen eyes, feebleness, a ruffled appearance, difficulty breathing, nasal discharge, and diarrhea.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Weakness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weakness. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
