imperfect

adjective

(ˌ)im-ˈpər-fikt How to pronounce imperfect (audio)
Definition of imperfectnext
as in defective
having a fault an imperfect representation of the circumstances surrounding Paul Revere's famous ride

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 imperfect Someone might answer questions in the scanner on a Tuesday and show nothing on the Wednesday, not because consciousness had come and gone but because the underlying state fluctuated and our detection was imperfect. — Torie Bosch, STAT, 18 July 2026 It’s been understood for years that America’s adversaries and allies alike take a keen interest in how this country practices an imperfect democracy. — Philip Elliott, Time, 17 July 2026 The transition from the British pound to the US dollar provides an instructive if imperfect case study. — Philipp Carlsson-Szlezak, Fortune, 17 July 2026 One that rose to the top in this digital age is how to share those imperfect moments on social media. — Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for imperfect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imperfect
  1. defective
  2. bad
  3. flawed
Adjective
  • Eimers drove the two of us to the closest guardrail, which was also the closest defective guardrail.
    — Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
  • The initiative was likely constitutionally defective from the outset, even as initiative petitions circulated in all corners of the Commonwealth.
    — Robert Cordy, Boston Herald, 19 July 2026
Definition of defective
Adjective
  • The situation is particularly bad in France, which has already recorded more than 300 wildfires this year, compared to an annual average of 93, according to the EFFIS.
    — Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 24 July 2026
  • Anderson’s injury record is slightly worse by virtue of a stress fracture in his back that kept him out for four months in the middle of the 2023-24 season, but over the two subsequent campaigns both have been near-constantly available.
    — Cerys Jones, New York Times, 24 July 2026
Definition of bad
Adjective
  • In August 2025, Scott’s legal team, along with the LAIP, filed a habeas corpus petition alleging a wrongful conviction based on flawed forensic evidence.
    — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 18 July 2026
  • Odysseus himself exemplifies both exemplary and flawed leadership.
    — Theodore McDarrah, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of flawed

Browse Nearby Words

impercipient
imperfect
imperfection
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Imperfect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imperfect. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of imperfect for Spanish Speakers

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