Achilles' heel

as in back
a vulnerable point the food supply proved to be the nation's Achilles' heel in its defense against terrorist attacks

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 Achilles' heel The New York Yankees' bullpen has been a surprising Achilles' heel this season. Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 July 2025 Robert's minimal offensive production has been the Achilles' heel for any trade. Hunter Mulholland, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 July 2025 The Republicans' Achilles' heel The new Achilles' heel for the GOP is spring court elections, which have become highly partisan and politically consequential. Craig Gilbert, jsonline.com, 18 July 2025 In Apple's case, solid-state drives have sometimes been an Achilles' heel. Brian Westover, PC Magazine, 10 June 2025 The imbalance is an Achilles' heel for Washington, which sees dependence on its top military rival as a national security threat. Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 June 2025 The Red Storm have one of the best draws of the tournament and have improved their 3-point shooting drastically, which was an Achilles' heel early on. Vaughn Dalzell, NBC News, 19 Mar. 2025 While cardio isn't an Achilles' heel for Pantoja, there may be no one in the history of the sport with a deeper gas tank than Dvalishvili. Brian Mazique, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025 Now, historically, the Achilles' heel of our system has to do with foreign banks, because when an American puts a bank deposit with a foreign bank, there's no withholding and there's no reporting. Tax Notes Staff, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for Achilles' heel
Noun
  • The Pioneers’ dynamics are not the stereotypical husband pilots, wife sits in the back.
    Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 3 Aug. 2025
  • Nothing beats knowing that when life hits the fan, certain people have my back with actions, not just nice words.
    Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Southerners have a special soft spot for big bodies of water.
    Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 31 July 2025
  • But old-school wrestling aficionados will always have a soft spot for the Hulkster, who was crucial in growing pro wrestling from a niche genre to a massive pop culture presence.
    Carla Kakouris, NBC news, 24 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Achilles' heel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Achilles%27%20heel. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.

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