as in imperfect
having a fault
promptly took the defective microwave oven back to the store for a replacement
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of defective
There was also a Malick Thiaw blunder from which Beto should have scored — the ball may have gone out of play — that typified Newcastle’s generally defective defending.
—
Chris Waugh, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
During a June 2025 evidentiary hearing, the city of Torrington submitted an objection to the application as defective for lack of notice, records show.
—Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 2 Mar. 2026
The Terms of Service of Anthropic’s defective altruism will never outweigh the safety, the readiness, or the lives of American troops on the battlefield.
—Tina Nguyen, The Verge, 28 Feb. 2026
Tesla blamed driver for striking victims In seeking a reversal, Tesla said McGee deserved sole blame, his Model S wasn't defective, and the verdict defied common sense.
—Jonathan Stempel, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defective
Chris Waugh, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
During a June 2025 evidentiary hearing, the city of Torrington submitted an objection to the application as defective for lack of notice, records show.
—Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 2 Mar. 2026
The Terms of Service of Anthropic’s defective altruism will never outweigh the safety, the readiness, or the lives of American troops on the battlefield.
—Tina Nguyen, The Verge, 28 Feb. 2026
Tesla blamed driver for striking victims In seeking a reversal, Tesla said McGee deserved sole blame, his Model S wasn't defective, and the verdict defied common sense.
—Jonathan Stempel, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defective
Adjective
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Devers and Eldridge are an imperfect duo, a pair of left-handed hitting sluggers with minimal defensive versatility.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
22 Mar. 2026
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Still, even an imperfect system could change how people interact with cameras and images.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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What's worse are diesel prices.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
23 Mar. 2026
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The family had made the three-day journey west based on reports that autism services in Colorado would be better, but in the upheaval of a move, Ethan had gotten worse and thrown his father into a wall.—
Meg Wingerter,
Denver Post,
22 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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But reporters who spent time probing more deeply into Chavez’s United Farm Workers of America also came to understand that the union’s co-founder was abundantly flawed and frequently not held to account by his allies, a recipe that could lead to trouble.—
James Rainey,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
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The truth is that most diets fail, not because people lack discipline, but because the diet itself is flawed.—
Fred Sassani,
Austin American Statesman,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Wintrow said ProPublica’s reporting raised awareness of the harms done by a faulty system for death investigations.—
Audrey Dutton,
ProPublica,
24 Mar. 2026
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Investigators with Colorado's Energy Carbon Management Commission corroborated findings by Chevron's team that blamed a faulty landing joint for the leak.—
Jennifer McRae,
CBS News,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The footage showed tubes with ruptures and other damaged structures that used to be inside the pressure vessel, which originally was enclosed.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 Mar. 2026
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Crews have carried out emergency lashing operations at the Port of Long Beach to secure damaged containers, using straps, chains and turnbuckles to prevent further shifting, Nieves said.—
Cierra Morgan,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Beyond the physical pain of a torn ligament or a broken bone, a sports injury often strips a young athlete of a big part of their identity.—
Ian McMahan,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
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Sahl said the woman appeared to have serious injuries, including broken bones and burns, but was conscious and able to speak.—
Trevor Sochocki,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defective. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.
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