weak-kneedadjective [ after verb ]
uk/ˌwiːkˈniːd/us/ˌwiːkˈniːd/informal disapproving not brave or determined enough to defend your beliefs against others:
Instead of defending traditional values, the church frequently seems weak-kneed and irresolute.
made to feel weak and likely to fall by emotion:
She stood dazed and weak-kneed beside the coffin.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Weakness and vulnerability
- Achilles heel
- at a low ebb idiom
- be (only) flesh and blood idiom
- be sb's poodle idiom
- chink in sb's armour idiom
- ebb
- faint
- impotent
- indefensible
- lax
- limp
- malleable
- susceptibility
- susceptible
- toothless
- totter
- underbelly
- unprotected
- unsteady
- wraith
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Cowardly
Strong feelings