as in defective
having a fault
an imperfect representation of the circumstances surrounding Paul Revere's famous ride
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Recent Examples of imperfect
Cast entirely in natural beeswax, the candlestick has a tactile, slightly imperfect quality that only real material can offer.
—
Hannah Coates, Vogue, 4 Jan. 2026
That the novel is imperfect, often bewildering, and sometimes a mess is not the point.
—Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 1 Jan. 2026
Take the message of Bridget Jones’s Diary with you into the New Year, because writing those resolutions is easy; following through with them for 365 days is imperfect work.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 30 Dec. 2025
As a result, judges may continue to delay or dismiss cases, but those solutions are imperfect, experts say.
—Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for imperfect
Hannah Coates, Vogue, 4 Jan. 2026
That the novel is imperfect, often bewildering, and sometimes a mess is not the point.
—Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 1 Jan. 2026
Take the message of Bridget Jones’s Diary with you into the New Year, because writing those resolutions is easy; following through with them for 365 days is imperfect work.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 30 Dec. 2025
As a result, judges may continue to delay or dismiss cases, but those solutions are imperfect, experts say.
—Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for imperfect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imperfect
Adjective
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Federal Judge Cameron McGowan Currie ruled that Halligan’s appointment was defective and in violation of the Constitution’s appointments clause.—
Jack Date,
ABC News,
12 Jan. 2026
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It's intended to increase service and reliability for MLGW customers — MLGW President and CEO Doug McGowen said the goal was to replace two substation transformers, 10 substation circuit breakers, 2,100 distribution poles and 90,000 feet of defective underground cable each year.—
Jack Armstrong,
Memphis Commercial Appeal,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Now, but as the statistics and figures come in here in Minneapolis, there's double-digit drops in crime, coupled with a lot of bad people and bad things being taken off of your streets.—
Esme Murphy,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
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Under President Biden, the FTC and DOJ slowed large transactions, suggesting that all big businesses were bad businesses.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Time,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Mangione's lawyers argue the charges enabling prosecutors to seek capital punishment are technically flawed and that the government prejudiced Mangione by publicly declaring its intent before obtaining an indictment.—
MICHAEL R. SISAK,
Arkansas Online,
24 Jan. 2026
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There are risks of writing from the SGG perspective, just like there are risks of writing from the perspective of any deeply-flawed protagonist.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Imperfect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imperfect. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026.
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