Achilles heel
/əkɪliːz ˈhiːl
/noun
A weakness or vulnerable point: the Achilles' heel of the case for nuclear power remains the issue of the disposal of waste...
- This is my one weakness, my Achilles' heel, if you will.
- It seems to me that we have come to accept death on Earth as part of our human flaw, as our Achilles' heel.
- In the circumstances, worrying about being thought mad or humourless seems a peculiar Achilles' heel.
Synonyms
weak spot, weak point, weakness, vulnerable spot, soft underbelly, shortcoming, failing, imperfection, flaw, defect, deficiency, fault, foible, chink in one's armour;
downfall, undoing, nemesis, Waterloo
Origin
Early 19th century: alluding to the vulnerability of Achilles.