weakness en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈwik.nɪs/ (General-American)
- /ˈwiːk.nɪs/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈwiːk.nəs/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈwik.nəs/ (General-American)
- [ˈwɪiːk.nɪs] (Australia)
- [ˈwɪ̈iːk.nɪs] (Australia)
- /ˈwiːk.nɪs/ (Australia)
- (US) audio
Etymology
From Middle English weyknesse, replacing earlier Middle English wocnesse, wakenes, wacnesse (“weakness”), from Old English wācnes (“weakness”). Equivalent to weak + -ness.
Meanings
-
(uncountable) The condition of being weak.
Near-synonyms: debility, frailty, vulnerability; vincibility
In a small number of horses, muscle weakness may progress to paralysis.
-
(countable) An inadequate quality; fault.
His inability to speak in front of an audience was his weakness.
Such a male-dominated environment is also likely to contribute to the lingering presence of an outdated belief that expressing feelings and demonstrating emotion is a sign of weakness, deterring some men from discussing their problems.
2020 July 1, Paul Stephen, “Vital Connections”, in Rail, page 41:The story struck the depressingly familiar note with which true stories ring in the tried ears of experienced policemen. No one queried it. It was in the classic pattern of human weakness, mean and embarrassing and sad.
1963, Margery Allingham, “Eye Witness”, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC, page 249:The only weakness in her plan was its reliance on the electricity being up and running.
Bradford had preyed on Villa's inability to defend set pieces, corners in particular, in their first-leg win and took advantage of the weakness again as Hanson equalised to restore their two-goal aggregate lead.
2013 January 22, Phil McNulty, “Aston Villa 2-1 Bradford (3-4)”, in BBC:The compulsion to expose, renegotiate, or reinvent the strengths and weaknesses of dance tradition offers little in its final outcome to attract the average dance-goer.
2013, Deborah Hay, My Body, The Buddhist, →ISBN, page 78:
-
(countable) A special fondness or obsessing desire.
She is an athlete who has a weakness for chocolate.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| weaknesses | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| weakenes | alternative | lexicographic |
Antonyms
powerfulness · strength · strength · invincibility · forte · invulnerability · power
Coordinates
powerlessness · impotence · incapacity
Deriveds
Synonyms
vincibility · defect · flaw · soft spot · debility · vulnerability · frailty · hole
Translations (169)
ka უძლურება (condition of being weak) · it punto debole (fault) · ga cloíteacht (condition of being weak) · ga taise (condition of being weak) · pt fraqueza (condition of being weak) · wa flåwisté (condition of being weak) · es debilidad (condition of being weak) · cs slabost (special fondness) · ru сла́бость (special fondness) · hi दुर्बलता (condition of being weak) · cmn 薄弱 (condition of being weak) · cu слабость (condition of being weak) · mi takarepa (fault) · pt queda (special fondness) · sv svaghet (special fondness) · ka უღონობა (condition of being weak) · pt fraco (special fondness) · ang untrumnes (fault) · ml ബലഹീനത (condition of being weak) · ca debilitat (condition of being weak) · fi voimattomuus (condition of being weak) · hi शिथिलता (condition of being weak) · mi hārorerore (condition of being weak) · pt fraqueza (fault) · pt ponto fraco (fault) · ja 泣き所 (fault) · fr faiblesse (condition of being weak) · ru недоста́ток (fault) · hi अक्षमता (condition of being weak) · ko 약점 (fault) · uk сла́бість (condition of being weak) · cy gwendid (condition of being weak) · ml ദുർബലത (fault) · ga lagbhrí (condition of being weak) · ga lagar (condition of being weak) · nl zwak (special fondness) · ga lag (condition of being weak) · ja 弱み (special fondness) · ja 弱み (fault) · fr point faible (fault) · az zəiflik (condition of being weak) · got 𐌿𐌽𐌷𐌰𐌹𐌻𐌹 (condition of being weak) · es punto débil (fault) · bg сла́бост (special fondness) · ga meirtne (condition of being weak) · ga tlás (condition of being weak) · it debolezza (condition of being weak) · ca feblesa (fault) · orv слабость (condition of being weak) · la infirmitas (fault) · nl zwakte (condition of being weak) · be недахва́т (fault) · ml ബലഹീനത (fault) · tl kahinaan (condition of being weak) · ia debilitate (condition of being weak) · ja 弱小 (condition of being weak) · la infirmitās (condition of being weak) · ast debilidá (condition of being weak) · it cagionevolezza (condition of being weak) · ja 弱さ (condition of being weak) · hi खोट (fault) · oc debilitat (condition of being weak) · sv svaghet (condition of being weak) · ota درمانسزلق (condition of being weak) · he חולשה (condition of being weak) · ota ضعیفلق (condition of being weak) · cs slabina (fault) · sl šibkost (condition of being weak) · gl debilidade (condition of being weak) · wa flåwté (condition of being weak) · ar ضَعْف (condition of being weak) · ga fainne (condition of being weak) · ja 弱点 (fault) · grc πονηρία (condition of being weak) · oc feblesa (condition of being weak) · ru сла́бость (condition of being weak) · ga anacmhainn (condition of being weak) · ga léiriú (condition of being weak) · es cariño (special fondness) · ko 약함 (condition of being weak) · id kelemahan (condition of being weak) · ga éagruas (condition of being weak) · grc ἀσθένεια (condition of being weak) · da svaghed (condition of being weak) · fi heikkous (special fondness) · nb svakhet (special fondness) · cs slabost (condition of being weak) · fi heikkous (condition of being weak) · fi heikkous (fault) · sh slabost (condition of being weak) · ga éadaingne (condition of being weak) · bg недостатък (fault) · ca feblesa (condition of being weak) · nn svakheit (condition of being weak) · ast debilidá (fault) · it tallone di Achille (fault) · be сла́басць (condition of being weak) · ka უსუსურობა (condition of being weak) · eo malforto (condition of being weak) · sl slabost (fault) · mi māruru (condition of being weak) · ang untrumnes (condition of being weak) · la infirmitas (special fondness) · it debolezza (special fondness) · cmn 虛弱 /虚弱 (condition of being weak) · sv fäbless (special fondness) · de Faible (special fondness) · th ความอ่อนแอ (condition of being weak) · eo malforteco (condition of being weak) · ceb kahuyang (condition of being weak) · tr zayıflık (condition of being weak) · mk слабост (condition of being weak) · uk сла́бкість (condition of being weak) · ia debilitate (fault) · ga lagachar (condition of being weak) · gl fraqueza (condition of being weak) · de Schwäche (condition of being weak) · ga time (condition of being weak) · it fievolezza (condition of being weak) · it debolezza (fault) · la debilitās (condition of being weak) · ms kelemahan (fault) · hu gyengeség (condition of being weak) · ga laige (condition of being weak) · sk slabosť (condition of being weak) · pl słabość (condition of being weak) · bg сла́бост (condition of being weak) · hi निर्बलता (condition of being weak) · th จุดอ่อน (fault) · cmn 軟弱 /软弱 (condition of being weak) · it debole (special fondness) · enm weyknesse (condition of being weak) · de Schwäche (special fondness) · mi kahakoretanga (condition of being weak) · ka სისუსტე (condition of being weak) · ga lobhra (condition of being weak) · nb svakhet (condition of being weak) · ga fágáil (fault) · ro feblețe (special fondness) · be недахо́п (fault) · tr argınlık (condition of being weak) · ga meirfean (condition of being weak) · ca feblesa (special fondness) · ga aimhneart (condition of being weak) · es flaqueza (condition of being weak) · fr faiblesse (fault) · ga anbhainne (condition of being weak) · sw ajizi (condition of being weak) · ja 脆弱 (condition of being weak) · sh слабост (condition of being weak) · tr sıskalık (condition of being weak) · fro feblece (fault) · ga meirbhe (condition of being weak) · ml ക്ഷീണം (condition of being weak) · ca debilitat (fault) · el αδυναμία (condition of being weak) · pl słabość (special fondness) · ga tréithe (condition of being weak) · izh slaabosti (condition of being weak) · es debilidad por (special fondness) · fr faible (special fondness) · wa fweblesse (condition of being weak) · ca debilitat (special fondness) · arz ضعف (condition of being weak) · ga tláithe (condition of being weak) · ga éalang (fault) · ml ദുർബലത (condition of being weak) · ka უნიათობა (condition of being weak) · tr çelimsizlik (condition of being weak)