have a soft spot
Meaning
To feel special affection, sympathy, or a weakness for someone or something.
Origin
From the idea of a “soft spot” being a physically tender or vulnerable area. Metaphorically, it became a tender point in one’s feelings—an emotional weakness or fondness.
Notes
Often implies a warm fondness or a slight “weakness” that makes you more forgiving. Used for people, animals, places, or things; informal to neutral.
Examples
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I have a soft spot for old bookstores, so I always stop in when I pass one.
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She has a soft spot for stray cats and feeds them every morning.
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Even though he complains about the interns, he clearly has a soft spot for them.
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I try to be objective, but I have a soft spot for underdog teams.
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My grandfather had a soft spot for classic jazz and played it every Sunday.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Usually appears as “have/has/had a soft spot for + noun/pronoun.” The article “a” is fixed; common variants include “soft spot for” and less commonly “soft spot in my heart for.”
Synonyms
- have a weakness for
- be fond of
- have a fondness for
- have a soft heart for
Antonyms
- be indifferent to
- have no feelings for
- be hard-hearted toward