History Main / VerbalWeakness

* This is how the Cake-inator meets her demise in the 2021 ''WesternAnimation/StrawberryShortcake'' episode "Robot Strawberry!?" After she dies, MadeOfExplodium ensues. This doubles as AccidentalMurder as Strawberry Shortcake was just trying to ''reason'' with her instead of kill her.
-->'''Strawberry Shortcake:''' "Our treats don't have to be made perfectly, Cake-inator. They just need a little love. That's the Strawberry Shortcake touch!"
-->'''Cake-inator:''' "Strawberry Shortcake touch does not compute." ''(Glitches out violently for a few seconds, dies, and explodes.)''

** Amesbury, a chef in ''Literature/MakingMoney'', is [[PlotAllergy allergic]] to the word "garlic". He makes very clear that he's not allergic to garlic itself, just the word (if he hears it, he throws whatever’s in his hand, freezes, and swears in Quirmian), hence why he ended up cooking by himself for a dog, as restaurant kitchens inevitably have someone saying "garlic".

'''Knight of Ni:''' ''[cringing]'' You said it again!!!

A character's WeaksauceWeakness turns out to be a specific spoken word or short phrase. Differs from WordsCanBreakMyBones by being a character-specific weakness - the words being uttered have no inherent power and can be heard by anyone else with no ill (or severely reduced) effect.

* Finally, ensure the words themselves are the inherent weakness - if they bring up memories of something the character fears they are not part of this trope.

* Lesser demons in ''Anime/BlueExorcist'' can be killed by Arias by having the Aria reciting a "Fatal Verse", a segment from the Bible and other holy scriptures. The segment varies from demon type to demon type. For slightly stronger demons, aside from getting longer the exact segment can vary a bit from demon to demon, requiring (perfectly) reciting a much larger block of text to be sure of getting the important part. Presumably there are ''hypothetical'' fatal verses for even the strongest demons, but they may incorporate entire holy texts which humanity has forgotten or is yet to record, and may also be too long for a mortal Aria to recite.
* Janemba from ''Anime/DragonBallZFusionReborn'' is a [[RealityWarper reality warping]] demon who breaks apart and ''shatters'' by having [[spoiler: insults shouted at him]] - while we can all agree that [[spoiler: shouting insults]] is not a nice thing, none of us break apart physically by it.

* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'': The only way to get rid of the {{Reality Warp|er}}ing Mr. Mxyzptlk (for a while, at least) is to trick him into saying his name backwards. Hilariously this is actually something he set up himself: to him, it's just a game and when Superman pointed out a game against someone with absolute StoryBreakerPower wasn't a "real" game, Mr. Mxyzptlk applied this weakness to himself to give the Man of Steel a "fair" chance.

[[folder:Film — Live-Action]]
* The shutdown code for the robot Gort from ''Film/TheDayTheEarthStoodStill1951'' is [[spoiler: KlaatuBaradaNikto]].
* In ''Film/GalaxyQuest'', ClassicallyTrainedExtra Alexander Dane loathes his [[TypeCasting most famous role]], but can be forced to play it out by being reminded that "TheShowMustGoOn."
* PlayedForLaughs In ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail''. The Knights Who Say Ni have a weakness to the word [[spoiler: 'it']], which makes them recoil in shock, [[spoiler: even if they say it themselves]].

* On the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'', werewolves, being related to dogs, react distastefully to the words 'bath' and 'vet'.
** Amesbury, a chef in ''Literature/MakingMoney'', is [[PlotAllergy allergic]] to the word “garlic”. He makes very clear that he’s not allergic to garlic itself, just the word (if he hears it, he throws whatever’s in his hand, freezes, and swears in Quirmian) hence why he ended up cooking by himself for a dog, as restaurant kitchens inevitably have someone saying “garlic.”

* In ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' Orcs are depicted as hating the name "Elbereth" to the extent that they are unable to utter it aloud and at least recoil momentarily in instinctive fear when someone else utters it. The name "Eärendil" is also used to repel creatures of the Shadow.

* ''{{Series/Blackadder}}'': In "Sense and Senility", the actors cannot hear the true name of "[[{{Theatre/Macbeth}} The Scottish Play]]" without performing a complicated exorcism. [[{{Troll}} Blackadder, naturally, takes every advantage of this.]]

* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'', ''Magazine/{{Dragon}}'' magazine #10. This was parodied in the introduction to the article "Random Monsters". When a party of {{PC}}s meets some Clickclick monsters, one of them shouts out "November" and the Clickclicks fall over dead.

* Dragons in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'' are all stunned and weakened by [[spoiler:the Thu'um '''JOOR ZAH FRUL''', which is known as "Dragonrend"]]. Since Dragons [[spoiler: have no concept of transience (much like we have a difficult time truly grasping the concept of infinity)]], the [[spoiler: three words that make the shout (which, when translated, form 'Mortal', 'Finite' and 'Temporary' respectively)]] are like Kryptonite to them when used in [[spoiler: a Thu'um]]. Utterly confused by the words they hear, dragons promptly faceplant into the ground. This is the only [[spoiler: [[LanguageOfMagic Thu'um]]]] that fits this trope as any non-dragon race can hear the words just fine - the same cannot be said about all other [[spoiler: offensive-minded Thu'ums]] and dragons are not immune to those either. Note that the words themselves explicitly are ''not'' sufficient to cause anything to happen to dragons, [[spoiler:for about the same reason just saying 'Infinity' does not do anything to humans.]]

SuperTrope to IKnowYourTrueName, and SubTrope of WeaksauceWeakness and AchillesHeel. If it is the volume of the spoken word that causes the damage, that's MakeMeWannaShout. Related to LogicBomb where computers and robots cannot grasp the concept of paradoxes. Works using this trope will often discuss ThePowerOfLanguage.

* In ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', the episode "[[Recap/FamilyGuyS9E3WelcomeBackCarter Welcome Back Carter]]" has Peter defeat Babs's ex-boyfriend Rodginald with a single word.

'''Rodginald:''' Such language in the presence of a lady! If it's a row you want, I will cleave you in twixt!\\
'''Peter:''' Hang on Carter, I think I know how to take this guy down. (to Rodginald) Penis.\\
'''Rodginald:''' Aaaaaaaah! ''[faints]''

* ''WesternAnimation/DoraTheExplorer'': Swiper's primary weakness is the phrase "[[SwiperNoSwiping Swiper, no swiping!" repeated thrice. Downplayed in that it doesn't actually harm him, but hearing it three times in a row forces him to surrender and flee before he can swipe something from Dora.