as in imperfect
having a fault
promptly took the defective microwave oven back to the store for a replacement
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of defective
People with too few or defective Treg cells often develop autoimmune diseases, where unchecked immune cells mistakenly attack the body’s own tissues or organs.
—
Mitzi Nagarkatti, The Conversation, 10 Oct. 2025
Consumers can return defective products to the retailer of purchase for a full refund.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
Once the best-selling EV in GM’s lineup, the Bolt suffered several setbacks, such as several rounds of recalls for defective battery technology with a high chance of bursting into flames.
—Jackie Charniga, Freep.com, 9 Oct. 2025
The recall number for the faulty seat belts is 283 and the number for the defective charging port door is 282.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defective
Mitzi Nagarkatti, The Conversation, 10 Oct. 2025
Consumers can return defective products to the retailer of purchase for a full refund.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
Once the best-selling EV in GM’s lineup, the Bolt suffered several setbacks, such as several rounds of recalls for defective battery technology with a high chance of bursting into flames.
—Jackie Charniga, Freep.com, 9 Oct. 2025
The recall number for the faulty seat belts is 283 and the number for the defective charging port door is 282.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defective
Adjective
-
University of Colorado Boulder (UC Boulder) researchers have closed the gap between math and biology, moving from a neat physics simulation of their animal-pattern theory to something that explains how those crisp yet imperfect designs actually arise in nature.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
3 Nov. 2025
-
To say the least, the film is an emotionally resonant and complex showcase that unabashedly shows Agnes’ imperfect journey through the other side of trauma.—
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Democrats are favored to win both gubernatorial races this year, so a GOP upset in either state would be a bad sign for the party currently locked out of power in Washington.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Nick Saban certainly made more good decisions than bad ones during his run to seven national championships as a college football coach.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
As Kikuo’s mentor and Shunsuke’s father, Watanabe brings gravitas to a character no less flawed, and just as persuasive.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Oct. 2025
-
The survey polled 16,946 Americans, who self-reported their height and weight, then Gallup relied on body mass index (BMI) calculations — the historically flawed measurement traditionally used by medical professionals to determine healthy weight ranges — to determine who qualified as obese.—
Cara Lynn Shultz,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The faulty utility wagon violates the standards for strollers because the product has limited safety restraints, which could result in a child falling, and the structure could trap a child’s head, causing an injury or death, said the CSPC.—
Amanda Greenwood,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Like the partisan preconceptions surrounding Benioff and his New York Times interview, the faulty assumptions about Salesforce’s future performance are missing the bigger picture.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The torrential rains and strong winds caused severe flooding that left several rural communities isolated and damaged buildings, roads, crops and infrastructure in poor areas that had already been hit by Hurricane Oscar last year.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Cuba, still enduring the storm’s heavy rains and winds, reported widespread flooding, damaged buildings, and hundreds of thousands of people displaced, as authorities warned that Melissa could worsen the island’s ongoing economic crisis.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The series follows the slow and halting coming together of Noah, reeling from a broken relationship, and Joanne (Kristen Bell), an agnostic podcaster with seemingly little in common with the spiritual leader.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Oct. 2025
-
McQueen’s set covered a broken engagement and entering the dating pool as a newly single guy as Sweeney and Braun held hands under the table and sipped on bottles of water.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defective. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share