drawback

1 of 2

noun

draw·​back ˈdrȯ-ˌbak How to pronounce drawback (audio)
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

drew back; drawn back; drawing back; draws back

intransitive verb

: to avoid an issue or commitment

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
However, both of these strategies come with drawbacks, such as energy inefficiency and a limited ability to adjust optical parameters. IEEE Spectrum, 12 Mar. 2024 But there’s a species—Carolina azolla, native to the southeastern United States—that doesn’t have this drawback. Matt Simon, WIRED, 11 Mar. 2024 Bone broth contains more protein than coffee, providing some health benefits, but its sodium content is a drawback for some. Sarah Garone, Health, 14 Feb. 2024 Unfortunately, all that moisture has one big drawback for outdoor recreation: muddy, waterlogged trails. Michael Charboneau, Los Angeles Times, 29 Feb. 2024 For others, stopping to recharge during the day while out on business, or while on a vacation trip, is a major drawback. Diana Furchtgott-Roth, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The main drawback with this humidifier was cleaning and disassembly. Rachel Ahrnsen, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Feb. 2024 The only drawback with yogurt is the potential sugar content. Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 25 Feb. 2024 Gamers should appreciate its 120Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 ports, however, and the 4K panel still pushes great visuals despite the aforementioned drawbacks. Quentyn Kennemer, The Verge, 9 Feb. 2024
Verb
The Best Picture nominee finds the trio drawn back together following the death of Penn's daughter, Kate (Emmy Rossum) — and things only get more devastating from there. Derek Lawrence, EW.com, 5 Mar. 2024 In one prominent case, Mr. Jeffries’s condo would be drawn back into his Brooklyn district. Nicholas Fandos, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024 Without Vlasic, Kyle Burroughs will draw back into the lineup as the Sharks hope to earn their first victory in three games. Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 24 Feb. 2024 Aleksander Barkov on the third line After missing the past three games with an unspecified lower-body injury, Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov drew back into the lineup on Wednesday. Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 25 Jan. 2024 The workers drew back the curtains, and the desert sun poured in. Tad Friend, The New Yorker, 4 Dec. 2023 During hot months, heat drawn from Princeton’s buildings will be stored in thick pipes deep underground until winter, when heat will be drawn back up again. Cara Buckley, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2024 The decision to draw back from the private-lending market triggered the departure of James Freeland, Robert Hassell and Adam Britt from the firm’s Summit Credit Partners group, where all were managing directors. Rod James, WSJ, 4 Jan. 2024 But the bipartisan consensus appears to agree that the U.S. cannot afford to draw back its support for Israel now; if Hamas and Iran are not sufficiently punished for this round of violence, there are likely only larger provocations ahead. TIME, 8 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'drawback.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1680, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1572, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of drawback was in 1572

Dictionary Entries Near drawback

Cite this Entry

“Drawback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drawback. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

drawback

noun
draw·​back ˈdrȯ-ˌbak How to pronounce drawback (audio)
: an undesirable feature : disadvantage entry 1

More from Merriam-Webster on drawback

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