defect

noun de·fect \ ˈdē-ˌfekt , di-ˈ \

Updated on: 19 May 2018

Definition of defect

1 a : an imperfection that impairs worth or utility : shortcoming

the grave defects in our foreign policy

A defect prevented the DVD from playing properly.

b chemistry : an imperfection (such as a vacancy or an unlike atom) in a crystal lattice (see lattice 2)

2 : a lack of something necessary for completeness, adequacy, or perfection : deficiency

a hearing defect

See defect defined for English-language learners

See defect defined for kids

Examples of defect in a Sentence

They examine their products for defects.
She was born with a heart defect.
Vanity and pride were his two worst character defects.

Recent Examples of defect from the Web

The shuffle comes as Tesla's head of engineering embarks on a leave of absence and its liaison with federal safety officials defects to Waymo, formerly known as Google's self-driving car project.

— marco della cava, USA TODAY, "Elon Musk shakes up Tesla as another Model S faces crash queries," 14 May 2018
The auto industry opposed the proposal, and a trade group asserted that the regulator's use of vehicle owners' questionnaires to compile a database of defects did not meet the evidence standards of federal vehicle-safety law.

— Anchorage Daily News, "Keyless cars are convenient, but can lead to a deadly error," 14 May 2018
First Transit fell short in the maintenance of the buses, the audits found, and operators were driving buses with multiple critical safety defects.

— Washington Post, "Bus drivers, allies make a case for putting D.C. Circulator under city control," 13 May 2018
Englund's goal is to find materials with just the right atomic defects to form the heart of those quantum repeaters.

— neil savage, Scientific American, "What Are the Limits of Manipulating Nature?," 8 May 2018
There is no obvious defect in the abdominal muscles and subtle tears of the hip adductor and flexor muscles can be missed.

— dr. harlan selesnick, miamiherald, "Soccer player has pain in lower abdomen and groin - a sports hernia? | Miami Herald," 7 May 2018
Lawyers for Fresenius, based in Bad Homburg, Germany, said in court filings that Akorn could face criminal liability for patient injuries or deaths tied to defects in its azithromycin antibiotic.

— Bloomberg.com, "Akorn Accused of Sending Phony Data to FDA on Antibiotic," 2 May 2018
Currently, the university is only considering injured service members for the transplant, not transgender individuals, or those born with defects.

— madeleine aggeler, The Cut, "U.S. Veteran Receives First Penis-and-Scrotum Transplant," 24 Apr. 2018
The pretty, shiny Wrangler with no defects, no water leaks, no nothing that the customer is going to be upset about and ruin our name.

— tom chiarella, Popular Mechanics, "Six People Who Built Your Jeep," 20 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'defect.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of defect

Middle English, borrowed from Latin dēfectus "failure, absence, lack, weakness," from dēficere "to be lacking, run short, weaken, fail" + -tus, suffix of action nouns — more at deficient

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 2

See Words from the same year

defect Synonyms

Synonyms

blemish, blight, blotch, deformity, disfigurement, excrescence, fault, flaw, imperfection, mar, mark, pockmark, scar;

Near Antonyms

adornment, decoration, embellishment, enhancement, ornament;

bug, glitch, kink;

blot, blur, spot, stain, taint;

damage, defacement, impairment, injury;

failing, weakness;

defect

verb de·fect \ di-ˈfekt \

Definition of defect

intransitive verb

1 : to forsake one cause, party, or nation for another often because of a change in ideology

a former KGB agent who defected to America

2 : to leave one situation (such as a job) often to go over to a rival

the reporter defected to another network

—

defector

play \-ˈfek-tər\ noun

See defect defined for English-language learners

Examples of defect in a Sentence

The Russian scholar defected in 1979.
She defected from the conservative party.
He defected to the West before the war began.
The reporter defected to another TV network.

Recent Examples of defect from the Web

But the scandal caused several UMNO leaders to defect to the opposition, including Dr. Mahathir.

— the editorial board, WSJ, "Malaysia’s Democratic Spring," 10 May 2018
Unless, of course, a particular establishment has produced such an instant classic that its patrons threaten to defect if that salad changes or is retired.

— bonnie s. benwick, charlotteobserver, "You don’t need romaine lettuce to make a great chopped salad | Charlotte Observer," 1 May 2018
For decades, loudspeakers have been a fixture along the border, beckoning soldiers to defect to the other side.

— New York Times, "Holstering the K-Pop, South Korea Silences Propaganda at the DMZ," 22 Apr. 2018
Pompeo still may get confirmed if the GOP unites on the floor and at least one Democrat defects to support his nomination as the top US diplomat.

— manu raju, CNN, "Mueller has not responded to Dem questions about Pompeo-Trump discussion on Russia probe," 16 Apr. 2018
As riders defected from Uber, Lyft went from underdog to formidable competitor, raising $1.7 billion and growing its share of the American market to more than thirty per cent.

— rachel aviv, The New Yorker, "At Uber, a New C.E.O. Shifts Gears," 30 Mar. 2018
The rebuttal of world opinion shows how far Poland’s nationalist leadership has come in two years with its quest to defect from the European mainstream.

— wojciech moskwa, Bloomberg.com, "Poland’s Message to World in Holocaust Dispute: It’s You, Not Us," 22 Feb. 2018
In November, a North Korean soldier dashed across Panmunjom through a hail of bullets from fellow communist troops to defect to the South.

— choe sang-hun, The Seattle Times, "Media frenzy greets popular North Korean singer leading delegation to South," 21 Jan. 2018
Because although Gregory says no, Enid persuades several of Hilltop dwellers to ignore his decision and join Rick's cause, while Ezekiel's head of security Richard seems primed to defect from the Kingdom.

— emma dibdin, Harper's BAZAAR, "'The Walking Dead' Premiere Is All About The Importance Of Resisting Fascism," 13 Feb. 2017

Origin and Etymology of defect

borrowed from Latin dēfectus, past participle of dēficere "to be lacking, fail, become disaffected, go over (to the side of an opponent)" — more at deficient

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1596

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

DEFECT Defined for English Language Learners

defect

noun

Definition of defect for English Language Learners

: a physical problem that causes something to be less valuable, effective, healthy, etc.
: something that causes weakness or failure

defect

verb

Definition of defect for English Language Learners

: to leave a country, political party, organization, etc., and go to a different one that is a competitor or an enemy

DEFECT Defined for Kids

defect

noun de·fect \ ˈdē-ˌfekt , di-ˈfekt \

Definition of defect for Students

1 : something that makes a thing imperfect : flaw

A slight defect lowered the diamond's value.

2 : a lack of something needed for perfection

Doctors can correct the hearing defect.

Medical Dictionary

defect

noun de·fect \ ˈdē-ˌfekt , di-ˈ \

medical Definition of defect

: a lack or deficiency of something necessary for adequacy in form or function

a hearing defect

Law Dictionary

defect

noun de·fect \ ˈdē-ˌfekt, di-ˈfekt \

legal Definition of defect

: something or a lack of something that results in incompleteness, inadequacy, or imperfection: as

a : a flaw in something (as a product) especially that creates an unreasonable risk of harm in its normal use — see also latent defect

b : an error or omission in a court document (as an indictment or pleading)

c : some imperfection in the chain of title to property that makes the title unmarketable

—

defective

play \di-ˈfek-tiv\ adjective

—

defectively

adverb

—

defectiveness

noun

Learn More about defect

See words that rhyme with defect Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for defect Spanish Central: Translation of defect Nglish: Translation of defect for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of defect for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about defect

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defect

Definition of defect

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Origin and Etymology of defect

defect Synonyms

Synonyms

Near Antonyms

Related Words

defect

Definition of defect

defector

Examples of defect in a Sentence

Recent Examples of defect from the Web

Origin and Etymology of defect

DEFECT Defined for English Language Learners

defect

Definition of defect for English Language Learners

defect

Definition of defect for English Language Learners

DEFECT Defined for Kids

defect

Definition of defect for Students

Medical Dictionary

defect

medical Definition of defect

Law Dictionary

defect

legal Definition of defect

defective

defectively

defectiveness

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