faulty

1 of 2

adjective

ˈfȯl-tē 

faultier; faultiest

: marked by fault or defect : imperfect

faultily

ˈfȯl-tə-lē 

adverb

faultiness

ˈfȯl-tē-nəs 

noun

faultiness

2 of 2

noun

fault·​i·​ness -tēnə̇s 

-tin-

plural -es

: the quality or state of being faulty

the notable faultiness of a man's reasoning

Synonyms of faulty

Adjective

• defective

Examples of faulty in a Sentence

Adjective

the cause of the plane crash was traced to faulty wiring

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Still, with clever coding even faulty qubits can be optimized to create a high-performance system. — Donald Keough, Christian Science Monitor, 27 June 2026

Both sides suggest that the spark for the explosion was a common mishap among people who handle fireworks — the faulty placement of an electronic igniter used to set off pyrotechnics. — Sacbee.com, 25 June 2026

Astronauts Jessica Meir and Chris Williams will replace a faulty wrist joint on the station's Canadarm2 robotic arm. — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 29 June 2026

An agent rerouting a supply chain, approving a transaction, or reprioritizing a customer escalation based on faulty assumptions is something else entirely. — Tim Bajarin, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for faulty

• salty

Kids Definition

faulty

adjective

ˈfȯl-tē 

faultier; faultiest

: having a fault or weakness : imperfect

faultily

-tə-lē 

adverb

faultiness

-tē-nəs 

noun