foible

noun

foi·ble ˈfȯi-bəl

Synonyms of foible next

: the part of a sword or foil blade between the middle and point

: a minor flaw or shortcoming in character or behavior : weakness

admired their teacher despite his foibles

… talent is always balanced by foible.—

Janna Malamud Smith

Did you know?

Many word lovers agree that the pen is mightier than the sword. But be they honed in wit or form, even the sharpest tools in the shed have their flaws. That’s where foible comes in handy. Borrowed from French in the 1600s, the word originally referred to the weakest part of a fencing sword, that part being the portion between the middle and the pointed tip. The English foible soon came to be applied not only to weaknesses in blades but also to minor failings in character. The French source of foible is also at a remove from the fencing arena; the French foible means "weak," and it comes from the same Old French term, feble, that gave us feeble.

Choose the Right Synonym for foible

fault, failing, frailty, foible, vice mean an imperfection or weakness of character.

fault implies a failure, not necessarily culpable, to reach some standard of perfection in disposition, action, or habit.

a writer of many virtues and few faults

failing suggests a minor shortcoming in character.

being late is a failing of mine

frailty implies a general or chronic proneness to yield to temptation.

human frailties

foible applies to a harmless or endearing weakness or idiosyncrasy.

an eccentric's charming foibles

vice can be a general term for any imperfection or weakness, but it often suggests violation of a moral code or the giving of offense to the moral sensibilities of others.

compulsive gambling was his vice

Examples of foible in a Sentence

could tolerate my uncle's foibles because we loved him dearly

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

The Ravens, for all their defensive and special teams foibles and their goofy losses to the Browns and Las Vegas Raiders, belong near the top. —

Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 4 Nov. 2024 State of play: Compared to the other leading candidates in the race who sit on the city council, Wilson has intentionally positioned himself as a political outsider and has capitalized on their foibles to emerge as a front-runner in the final weeks ahead of Election Day. —

Meira Gebel, Axios, 29 Oct. 2024 The narration felt like A Midsummer Night’s Dream as told by Puck or Greek gods with their own foibles looking down at a community of mortals. —

Cat Zhang, Vulture, 14 Aug. 2024 Photograph: Getty Images Few people have greater insight into the follies and foibles of humans than smartphone repair technicians. —

Pia Ceres, WIRED, 11 Nov. 2021 See all Example Sentences for foible