1
a
: a defect in physical structure or form
a diamond with a flaw
b
: an imperfection or weakness and especially one that detracts from the whole or hinders effectiveness
vanity was the flaw in his character
a flaw in the book's plot
2
obsolete
: fragment
flawed; flawing; flaws
: to become defective
1
: a sudden brief burst of wind
the wind changed with flaws from westward—
Archibald MacLeish
Archibald MacLeish
also
: a spell of stormy weather
2
obsolete
: an outburst especially of passion
Synonyms
Noun (1)
- blemish
- blight
- blotch
- defect
- deformity
- disfigurement
- excrescence
- excrescency
- fault
- imperfection
- mar
- mark
- pockmark
- scar
Verb
Examples of flaw in a Sentence
Verb
that crack has flawed the vase to the extent that its value in the antiques market is greatly reduced
Recent Examples on the WebTribune News Service, The Mercury News, 10 Apr. 2024
The study has since been shown to have been flawed.
—Maggie Fox, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
That system may be flawed, but at least enrollment in a public school doesn’t require a waiting list or depend on the largesse of a billionaire or an employer.
—Elliot Haspel, The Atlantic, 20 Mar. 2024
And, if justice is already flawed in theory, its practices and the entire criminal system contribute even less towards a restorative process in society.
—Callum McLennan, Variety, 24 Jan. 2024
Some election experts say its methodology is flawed.
—The Arizona Republic, 25 Feb. 2024
In late January, a Delaware judge voided his $55.8 billion Tesla compensation package — the largest in US corporate history — after an investor claimed it was flawed by conflicts of interests and misleading disclosures by the electric car company.
—Madlin Mekelburg, Fortune, 16 Feb. 2024
The institute denied that the studies were flawed, as did the lead author, James Studnicki, who is vice president and director of data analytics at the institute.
—Pam Belluck, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2024
Heritage conservation in Egypt has become a source of debate following several controversial projects that had resulted in razing historic areas and flawed renovation of hundreds-year-old mosques.
—Ayat Al-Tawy, ABC News, 2 Feb. 2024
Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2024
Certain online auction sites offer a detailed description of the vehicle for sale that’s intended to reveal specific flaws and defects.
—Josh Jacquot, Quartz, 17 Apr. 2024
Even now, some people try to find flaws that Robinson had to cut him down.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2024
For all its flaws, ranking by engagement is egalitarian.
—Billy Perrigo, TIME, 15 Apr. 2024
But as Apple, Google, and other companies race to bring their AI creations onto our phones, we’re being presented with an opportunity to use these next-gen digital assistants to correct one of our inherent human flaws: poor memory.
—Boone Ashworth, WIRED, 10 Apr. 2024
Nothing unmasks society’s flaws quite like an emergency.
—Karen D'souza, The Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2024
And the national survey indicates that approximately 47 million — nearly 17% of the population — had an addiction or problematic drug use in 2022.
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Neither drug use nor addiction are character flaws.
—Giorgi Minasovi and Jonathan Jk Stoltman, STAT, 5 Apr. 2024
The actor later hired a private investigator and alleges that Brunson attempted to have his bail revoked and that the district attorney's office prevented Gatt and the investigator from presenting their findings on the investigation's flaws in court.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
Verb
Today Boeing’s leaders are tepidly admitting that this shareholders-first, cut-costs, workers-be-damned strategy was flawed.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 10 Apr. 2024
The study has since been shown to have been flawed.
—Maggie Fox, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
That system may be flawed, but at least enrollment in a public school doesn’t require a waiting list or depend on the largesse of a billionaire or an employer.
—Elliot Haspel, The Atlantic, 20 Mar. 2024
And, if justice is already flawed in theory, its practices and the entire criminal system contribute even less towards a restorative process in society.
—Callum McLennan, Variety, 24 Jan. 2024
Some election experts say its methodology is flawed.
—The Arizona Republic, 25 Feb. 2024
In late January, a Delaware judge voided his $55.8 billion Tesla compensation package — the largest in US corporate history — after an investor claimed it was flawed by conflicts of interests and misleading disclosures by the electric car company.
—Madlin Mekelburg, Fortune, 16 Feb. 2024
The institute denied that the studies were flawed, as did the lead author, James Studnicki, who is vice president and director of data analytics at the institute.
—Pam Belluck, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2024
Heritage conservation in Egypt has become a source of debate following several controversial projects that had resulted in razing historic areas and flawed renovation of hundreds-year-old mosques.
—Ayat Al-Tawy, ABC News, 2 Feb. 2024
Noun
In January a judge rescinded his $56 billion compensation deal over governance flaws.
—Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2024
Certain online auction sites offer a detailed description of the vehicle for sale that’s intended to reveal specific flaws and defects.
—Josh Jacquot, Quartz, 17 Apr. 2024
Even now, some people try to find flaws that Robinson had to cut him down.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2024
For all its flaws, ranking by engagement is egalitarian.
—Billy Perrigo, TIME, 15 Apr. 2024
But as Apple, Google, and other companies race to bring their AI creations onto our phones, we’re being presented with an opportunity to use these next-gen digital assistants to correct one of our inherent human flaws: poor memory.
—Boone Ashworth, WIRED, 10 Apr. 2024
Nothing unmasks society’s flaws quite like an emergency.
—Karen D'souza, The Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2024
And the national survey indicates that approximately 47 million — nearly 17% of the population — had an addiction or problematic drug use in 2022.
advertisement
Neither drug use nor addiction are character flaws.
—Giorgi Minasovi and Jonathan Jk Stoltman, STAT, 5 Apr. 2024
The actor later hired a private investigator and alleges that Brunson attempted to have his bail revoked and that the district attorney's office prevented Gatt and the investigator from presenting their findings on the investigation's flaws in court.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flaw.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near flaw
Cite this Entry
“Flaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flaw. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
flaw
1 of 2 noun
: a small often hidden defect
flawless
adjective
-ləs
flawlessly
adverb
flawlessness
noun
flaw
2 of 2 verb
: to make or become defective
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