personal weakness

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "personal weakness" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when discussing individual flaws, vulnerabilities, or areas for improvement. An example: "One of my personal weaknesses is procrastination." Alternative expressions include "individual flaw" and "personal shortcoming."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

"The government found a personal weakness.

The New Yorker

In every episode, she fishes out a personal weakness that escapes her male colleagues.

The New York Times - Arts

If someone is unwell, it is not a sign of personal weakness.

The Guardian

Sociability with strangers was her personal weakness and his professional stock in trade.

The New Yorker

It is precisely the combination of enormous intelligence and frank personal weakness that makes Johnson's writing so compelling.

Harvard University

Part of the essence of sport is the incorporation of personal weakness, and adaptation to stressful circumstances.

Independent

Perhaps they do it out of fear, perhaps out of personal weakness, because they will never be in his position.

The New Yorker

Wallace contrasts literature with the electronic media, especially television, an amusement that is his own personal weakness, an actual addiction.

The New York Times - Books

What these bands share with the Cure is a willingness to make personal weakness central to their aesthetic.

The New York Times - Arts

There are still people within the profession who I am sure would view my problems as my own personal weakness.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

The Australian public strongly endorsed unpredictability as a characteristic of people with depression and schizophrenia whereas 'personal weakness' was among the most endorsed characteristic by the Japanese public.

BMC Psychiatry

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In professional settings like job interviews, accompany the mention of a "personal weakness" with a strategy for how you are working to overcome it.

Common error

Do not use "personal weakness" when referring strictly to physical muscle fatigue unless you are using it metaphorically. For medical issues involving muscles, use more specific terms like physical debilitation or muscle atrophy to avoid ambiguity.

Linguistic Context

As noted by Ludwig AI, "personal weakness" functions as a noun phrase. It typically acts as the subject or object of a sentence to identify a specific trait, vulnerability or habit that an individual possesses. In the provided Examples, it is frequently used to categorize mental health struggles or specific behavioral traits.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

35%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

Analysis from Ludwig confirms that "personal weakness" is a highly versatile and correct phrase used across diverse domains. A significant trend in modern usage, particularly in Science and News & Media, is the move away from viewing mental health problems as a "personal weakness", instead reframing them as medical conditions. However, the phrase remains a staple in political critiques and self-reflective writing to describe individual flaws or specific habits like a "<a href="/s/weakness+for+junk+food" target="_blank" rel="alternative">weakness for junk food". Ludwig AI highlights that the phrase is grammatically stable and carries a register that fits both serious character analysis and casual confession.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

personal shortcoming

Shifts the focus from an inherent vulnerability to a failure to meet a particular standard.

individual flaw

Suggests a specific defect in character or ability rather than a general state of being weak.

internal weakness

Emphasizes that the vulnerability comes from within the person's character or mind.

individual vulnerability

Uses a more clinical and less judgmental term commonly found in scientific and medical literature.

character defect

Carries a stronger moral weight, often used in personal growth or recovery contexts.

private failing

Highlights the personal or non-public nature of the weakness.

internal vulnerability

Focuses on psychological susceptibility rather than just a lack of strength.

moral failing

Specifies that the weakness is related to one's ethical or moral compass.

subjective limitation

A more formal and neutral academic way to describe a person's boundaries.

idiosyncratic frailty

A sophisticated literary alternative emphasizing unique personal delicate traits.

FAQs

How do I use "personal weakness" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe an individual's vulnerability, for example: "He admitted that his "personal weakness" was his inability to say no to new projects."

What is a more professional way to say "personal weakness"?

In a professional context, you might prefer terms like "<a href="/s/area+for+improvement" target="_blank" rel="alternative">area for improvement" or "<a href="/s/professional+shortcoming" target="_blank" rel="alternative">professional shortcoming".

Is it correct to call depression a "personal weakness"?

No, many clinical sources in Ludwig emphasize that mental health issues should not be seen as a "personal weakness", but rather as a legitimate health condition like a "<a href="/s/biochemical+imbalance" target="_blank" rel="alternative">biochemical imbalance".

What is the difference between "personal weakness" and "character flaw"?

While similar, a "<a href="/s/character+flaw" target="_blank" rel="alternative">character flaw" is often seen as a deeper, more permanent part of someone's personality, whereas a "personal weakness" can refer to a specific habit or a temporary susceptibility.