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

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

Another drawback is that multitasking in remote meetings is sometimes perceived as inappropriate behavior, with some individuals explicitly associating it with being impolite. —Diane Brady, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025

Experts say women who are unsure should talk with their health care provider about their individual breast cancer risk and the potential benefits and drawbacks of different screening methods. —Dr. Megha Gupta, ABC News, 1 Oct. 2025

Verb

After Willa goes missing, Bob is drawn back into the fray. —Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 27 Sep. 2025

Then Linville − born and raised in Milwaukee − was drawn back to Wisconsin. —Alyssa N. Salcedo, jsonline.com, 25 Sep. 2025

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