drawback

1 of 2

noun

draw·​back ˈdrȯ-ˌbak 

1

: a refund of duties especially on an imported product subsequently exported or used to produce a product for export

2

: an objectionable feature : disadvantage

The plan's only drawback is its cost.

draw back

2 of 2

verb

drȯ-ˈbak 

drew back; drawn back; drawing back; draws back

intransitive verb

: to avoid an issue or commitment

Synonyms of drawback

Noun

• disadvantage
• handicap

Examples of drawback in a Sentence

Noun

The trip sounds great, but cost is a major drawback.

this plan has only one drawback: it's unworkable

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The sliders and visualizations functioned smoothly, but the interface had a minor drawback. —Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 10 Apr. 2026

Now, despite its celebrity and effectiveness, steel presents numerous drawbacks. —New Atlas, 10 Apr. 2026

Verb

The film centers on two sisters, long estranged, who are drawn back together by a family crisis, unearthing questions of sacrifice, obligation and the weight of unresolved history. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Apr. 2026

Harrison Bader and Patrick Bailey drew back-to-back walks to begin the sixth, then Willy Adames plated the Giants’ first run with a one-out ground-rule double. —Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1680, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1572, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for drawback

• aback
• anzac
• attack
• backpack
• backtrack
• bareback
• blackjack
• brownback
• buyback
• callback
• cognac
• comeback

Kids Definition

drawback

noun

draw·​back ˈdrȯ-ˌbak 

: an undesirable feature : disadvantage entry 1