achilles heel

IPA/əˌkɪliːz ˈhiːl/
IPA/əˌkɪliːz ˈhiːl/

achilles heel — noun

1. a hidden but dangerous flaw within a person, team, or organization that could ca

1.nounB2
Definition

a hidden but dangerous flaw within a person, team, or organization that could cause everything to collapse when pressure is applied

Example

Dmitri's inability to delegate tasks was his achilles heel as a manager.

possessor + achilles heel: naming someone's weak point

The café's achilles heel was its location — tucked away on a quiet side street.

inanimate possessor: organization's weak point

Common collocations
  • prove to be one's achilles heel
  • remain one's achilles heel
  • consider something one's achilles heel
  • become the achilles heel of
Synonyms
  • weak spot

    more general and less dramatic; can refer to any area of poor performance, not necessarily a fatal one

  • vulnerability

    more formal and technical; focuses on openness to attack rather than a specific point of failure

  • soft underbelly

    more informal and vivid; emphasizes the part that is easy to attack

Antonyms
  • strong suit

    a person's or thing's best quality or area of strength

  • forte

    formal; refers to something someone does very well

Grammar Patterns

possessor + achilles heel

be someone's achilles heel

Usage Note

Almost always singular; the plural form 'achilles heels' is extremely rare. The possessor typically precedes the phrase: 'the team's achilles heel' or 'her achilles heel.' Common in sports, business, and personal-development contexts.

Common Mistakes

The slow internet is the achilles heel of the office.
The slow internet is the office's achilles heel.
The possessor ('the office') should come before 'achilles heel' with a possessive, or use 'of the office' after it. Both patterns are common.
Lack of funding was their achilles heels.
Lack of funding was their achilles heel.
The phrase is almost always singular, even when referring to a group.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Achilles heel' carries a strong sense of inevitability and consequence — it is not just a flaw but one that can cause complete failure when exploited. 'Weak spot' is the closest everyday alternative but lacks the dramatic implication of downfall ('His temper is a weak spot' vs. 'His temper is his achilles heel'). 'Vulnerability' is more technical and often used in cybersecurity or physical safety contexts; it describes the state of being exposed rather than a specific point. 'Soft underbelly' is informal and suggests the weak part is deliberately concealed but easily breached. 'Shortcoming' is a gentle, general term that implies a failure to meet a standard rather than a dangerous weakness. In a performance review you would say 'Her only shortcoming is impatience'; in a post-match analysis you would say 'The goalkeeper's slow reaction time proved to be the team's achilles heel.'

weak spot ↗vulnerability ↗soft underbellyshortcoming ↗

Etymology

GreekLatinEnglish

From Greek mythology: the hero Achilles was dipped into the river Styx by his mother Thetis to make him invulnerable, but the heel by which she held him remained untouched by the water and was therefore his only weak point. He was eventually killed by an arrow to that heel. The metaphorical use of 'Achilles heel' to mean a critical weakness dates back to the 19th century.