Foible
noun
A small flaw or weakness in someone's character or behavior.
Her only foible is a tendency to work too hard and neglect her family.
Often appears as...
- personal foible
- minor foible
noun
A special but not serious or harmful habit someone has.
His one foible is his habit of constantly checking his phone.
Often appears as...
- little foible
- harmless foible
noun
A small flaw or weakness in someone's character or behavior.
Her only foible is a tendency to work too hard and neglect her family.
Often appears as...
- personal foible
- minor foible
noun
A special but not serious or harmful habit someone has.
His one foible is his habit of constantly checking his phone.
Often appears as...
- little foible
- harmless foible
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Character Insight
Use 'foible' to describe minor character weaknesses that everyone has, making someone more relatable or human.
Every hero has their foibles, even Superman is overly trusting at times.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Offensive
'Foible' implies patience or tolerance for someone's weaknesses, it's not used to harshly criticize.
She laughs about her foibles, like her love for outdated slang.
Pro Tip 3/3Positive Angle
Discussions of foibles often come with a tone of fondness or amusement, not serious concern.
His forgetfulness was just another one of his foibles we'd come to adore.
Pro Tip 1/3Character Insight
Use 'foible' to describe minor character weaknesses that everyone has, making someone more relatable or human.
Every hero has their foibles, even Superman is overly trusting at times.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Offensive
'Foible' implies patience or tolerance for someone's weaknesses, it's not used to harshly criticize.
She laughs about her foibles, like her love for outdated slang.
Pro Tip 3/3Positive Angle
Discussions of foibles often come with a tone of fondness or amusement, not serious concern.
His forgetfulness was just another one of his foibles we'd come to adore.
Pro Tip 1/3Character Insight
Use 'foible' to describe minor character weaknesses that everyone has, making someone more relatable or human.
Every hero has their foibles, even Superman is overly trusting at times.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Offensive
'Foible' implies patience or tolerance for someone's weaknesses, it's not used to harshly criticize.
She laughs about her foibles, like her love for outdated slang.
Pro Tip 3/3Positive Angle
Discussions of foibles often come with a tone of fondness or amusement, not serious concern.
His forgetfulness was just another one of his foibles we'd come to adore.
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Video examples
Why it's so hard to make...
In fact, it's the predictability of our psychological foibles that allows us to design strategies to overcome them. Forewarned is forearmed. In fact, behavioral economists often use precisely the same behavioral reflexes that get us into trouble and turn them around to help us,
Video examples
Why #PopeFrancis Loves...
center for all of his or her foibles it was a kind of focus that seems fuzzy seems purely symbolic but in fact could indeed be lasting
Video examples
Why it's so hard to make...
In fact, it's the predictability of our psychological foibles that allows us to design strategies to overcome them. Forewarned is forearmed. In fact, behavioral economists often use precisely the same behavioral reflexes that get us into trouble and turn them around to help us,
Video examples
Why #PopeFrancis Loves...
center for all of his or her foibles it was a kind of focus that seems fuzzy seems purely symbolic but in fact could indeed be lasting
Example 1 of 2
Quote examples
Mark Waid
American Writer
Certainly, your characters - whether they are superheroes are not - should have foibles. They should have problems; they should have things that their powers can't solve. That's what makes them nuanced, interesting characters. They can have intense motivations. They should have intense motivations to do what they do.
Quote examples
Patricia Heaton
American Actress
I think there's a difference when you make fun of yourself and your own behavior, and when you dishonor or disrespect Christ. If you're making a mockery of Christ is one thing. But if you're just joking about human foibles and weaknesses, I think that's perfectly acceptable.
Quote examples
Eleanor Holmes Norton
American Politician
That line, about half of somebody's supporters being deplorables, was maybe the worst line I've ever heard in politics. You never - even when you're running against a bunch of racists, you never take off against the voters. It was a politics 101 foible.
Quote examples
Gore Vidal
American Novelist
Fortunately, our audiences are used to a kind of boredom in the theatre, and if the writer is skillful, he will flatter them into thinking: 'Why, that's us up there, and aren't we - for all our little foibles - pretty nice guys and gals?
Quote examples
Lydia Millet
American Novelist
The comic novels I did when I was in my 20s had a harder edge - less sympathy for people. Or a sympathy that was harder to detect: Characters' foibles and obsessive bents were unrelenting, like caricatures.
Quote examples
Walter Kirn
American Novelist
God is a freaking character, with enough foibles, tantrums, and paradoxical behaviors to supply a thousand screenplays. But who do you cast?
Quote examples
Hope Jahren
American Scientist
Science is performed by people, and it's subject to all the various foibles that plague the rest of our social dynamics.
Quote examples
Jessie Buckley
Irish Musician
I love the flaws and foibles of people - I'm much more interested in that than perfections.
Quote examples
Kevin Kwan
Singaporean Novelist
People have always been fascinated by the foibles of the wealthy and privileged.
Quote examples
Asher Keddie
Australian Actress
I have as many foibles, challenges, shortcomings and struggles as anybody else.
Quote examples
Mark Waid
American Writer
Certainly, your characters - whether they are superheroes are not - should have foibles. They should have problems; they should have things that their powers can't solve. That's what makes them nuanced, interesting characters. They can have intense motivations. They should have intense motivations to do what they do.
Quote examples
Patricia Heaton
American Actress
I think there's a difference when you make fun of yourself and your own behavior, and when you dishonor or disrespect Christ. If you're making a mockery of Christ is one thing. But if you're just joking about human foibles and weaknesses, I think that's perfectly acceptable.
Quote examples
Eleanor Holmes Norton
American Politician
That line, about half of somebody's supporters being deplorables, was maybe the worst line I've ever heard in politics. You never - even when you're running against a bunch of racists, you never take off against the voters. It was a politics 101 foible.
Quote examples
Gore Vidal
American Novelist
Fortunately, our audiences are used to a kind of boredom in the theatre, and if the writer is skillful, he will flatter them into thinking: 'Why, that's us up there, and aren't we - for all our little foibles - pretty nice guys and gals?
Quote examples
Lydia Millet
American Novelist
The comic novels I did when I was in my 20s had a harder edge - less sympathy for people. Or a sympathy that was harder to detect: Characters' foibles and obsessive bents were unrelenting, like caricatures.
Quote examples
Walter Kirn
American Novelist
God is a freaking character, with enough foibles, tantrums, and paradoxical behaviors to supply a thousand screenplays. But who do you cast?
Quote examples
Hope Jahren
American Scientist
Science is performed by people, and it's subject to all the various foibles that plague the rest of our social dynamics.
Quote examples
Jessie Buckley
Irish Musician
I love the flaws and foibles of people - I'm much more interested in that than perfections.
Quote examples
Kevin Kwan
Singaporean Novelist
People have always been fascinated by the foibles of the wealthy and privileged.
Quote examples
Asher Keddie
Australian Actress
I have as many foibles, challenges, shortcomings and struggles as anybody else.
Example 1 of 10
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