Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
soft underbelly

soft underbelly

2 6.7
A weak part of a plan or organization that others can easily take advantage of
  • noun
  • Informal
translation icon : punto débil
  • The financial report revealed the soft underbelly of the company's budget, which could easily be exploited by competitors.
  • expose the soft underbelly

And that does create a soft underbelly to our system for sure.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • And that does create a soft underbelly to our system for sure.

    Julian Dorey

  • As it turns out, of course, modern technology has given Washington more than one soft underbelly.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • This strategy works so well because it hits, literally, the soft underbelly of the academic stance.

    Academic text (1998)

  • Mix's testimony would expose Obama's soft underbelly on the "missing oil," for instance.

    Blog text (15)

  • Syria is the soft underbelly of Iran, Tehran's most important ally, conduit for arms and cash to terrorists.

    Blog text (6)

  • The Arabs consider Europe to be the soft underbelly of the U.S. alliance with Israel and the best way to drive a wedge between the two historic allies.

    Academic text (2010)

  • What's more, the 9/11 attacks suddenly exposed modern seaports, with their vast linked transportation and storage infrastructures, as the soft underbelly of security in the country.

    Academic text (2005)

  • Every organization has a soft underbelly; identifying it can help prevent future attacks on its stability.

  • The political campaign's messages highlighted its opponent's soft underbelly, aiming to exploit their weaknesses in public opinion.

Synonyms

weakest link
vssoft underbelly
  • Informal
28 4.3

The person or part of a team most likely to fail

focuses on a specific exploitable weakness rather than a relatively weak element
weak spot
vssoft underbelly
24 2.7

A part that others can easily attack or use against someone

is any vulnerable area that attackers can exploit rather than any weakness
weak point
vssoft underbelly
12 3.0

A part of a person or thing that is not strong and can cause problems

highlights vulnerability specifically to attack or exploitation rather than general weakness
underbelly
vssoft underbelly
5 6.6

The weakest part of something that is easy to attack or damage

is any vulnerable point, not only hidden or shameful ones
soft spot
vssoft underbelly
  • Informal
5 4.4

A weak part of a person, thing, or system that can be easily harmed

refers to vulnerable areas open to attack or exploitation rather than feelings
weak part
vssoft underbelly
1 4.2

A place that is likely to fail or be harmed

is a vulnerable point that attackers can exploit rather than just being weak
chink in the armor
vssoft underbelly
  • Informal
1 7.4

A small weakness in a person, group, or system that others can use

is any exposed weakness, not necessarily small or narrow

Antonyms

strength
∞ 1.2

Physical or mental power a person has to act

How Vulnerable

Achilles' heel
  • Informal
11 6.3
soft underbelly
  • Informal
2 6.7
weak point
12 3.0

Surface Forms

soft underbelly singular
soft underbellies plural

Morphology

soft + underbelly

The meaning is directly compositional: 'soft' = vulnerable/easily attacked and 'underbelly' = the susceptible underside or weak part, so together they transparently denote a vulnerable point. This animal-anatomy-to-organization metaphor is common cross-linguistically and follows predictable semantic extension, making it readily understandable to learners who know both constituents.

Etymology

Soft underbelly may come from the image of an animal's soft underbelly, the weak part under its body that an enemy could easily reach. That's why the phrase means 'a vulnerable point' in a plan, system, or group.