Achilles' heel
An Achilles' heel is a weakness that can undo someone or something otherwise strong; it comes from the story of Achilles, whose heel remained vulnerable despite his body's protection. Today, the phrase can describe a person's flaw, a team's weakness, or a gap in a plan.
Where it comes from
The hero's vulnerable heel
The familiar story appears in Thomas Bulfinch's retelling of Greek myths. Achilles' mother protects his body by dipping him in the River Styx, but the heel she holds stays vulnerable.
In The Age of Fable, Achilles survives many battles but is finally killed by an arrow that strikes his heel.
In The Age of Fable by Thomas Bulfinch
A dangerous weakness today
Today, the phrase means a weak point that could cause serious failure, not simply a small fault. It often contrasts with someone's strength or success.
In Othello, a respected soldier trusts Iago's lies about Desdemona. That misplaced trust offers an example of what readers might call an Achilles' heel.
In Othello by William Shakespeare
How to use Achilles' heel
- Identify a weakness in someone or something otherwise strong.
- Show how that weakness could lead to failure.
- Use the phrase for a serious vulnerability, not a minor annoyance.
Does the story of Achilles' heel appear in the Iliad?
The familiar story of the protected body and vulnerable heel does not appear in The Iliad. Homer's poem shows Achilles as a great warrior, but it ends before his death. The heel story belongs to later traditions about him.
What is the difference between an Achilles' heel and feet of clay?
An Achilles' heel is a dangerous weak point, while feet of clay means a flaw in someone who seemed admirable or dependable. The phrases overlap, but the first stresses vulnerability to failure; the second stresses the discovery that an admired person is imperfect.
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