Foible: meaning, example and synonyms
Foiblen. A minor weakness or odd habit in someone's character.
Example
The biographer treats the scientist's foibles, such as her habit of alphabetizing her spice rack, with affection rather than ridicule.
- Part of speech
- noun
- Synonyms
- quirk, idiosyncrasy, eccentricity, failing
- Antonyms
- strength, virtue, forte
- Memory tip
- Foible is close to feeble: the slightly feeble spot in a character.
Foible is in batch 12. Study it with the rest of the batch, then pass the batch quiz to learn it. No account needed; progress is saved on this device.
Check yourself: Foible in context
Colleagues tolerated the chemist's ______ of humming opera while titrating, since it never affected the precision of her measurements.
Answer: foible. Humming opera at work is a harmless odd habit: a foible. Dispersion (scattering), a contrivance (device or scheme) and dexterity (skill) aren't habits to be tolerated.
The essayist confesses to small ______, such as losing her reading glasses on top of her own head, that make her otherwise formidable intellect seem endearingly human.
Answer: foibles. Minor, endearing weaknesses are foibles. Strifes (conflicts), dispersions (scatterings) and contrivances (devices) don't describe charming personal quirks.