as in scar
something that spoils the appearance or completeness of a thing
the statue has a slight defect on the base, so it's being sold at a discount
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Recent Examples of defect
Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2026
Yet its response to the heat-shield defect was worrying.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 21 Jan. 2026
Reuters, NBC news, 18 Jan. 2026
Ben Taleblu said the key factor is whether segments of the security forces defect, refuse orders or fragment.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defect
Noun
Those defects included a faulty exterior trim panel that forced 46,000 models to be taken off the road in 2025, according to the New York Times.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2026
Yet its response to the heat-shield defect was worrying.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 21 Jan. 2026
Verb
The government had called on SDF fighters — most of whom are from Arab tribes — to defect.
—Reuters, NBC news, 18 Jan. 2026
Ben Taleblu said the key factor is whether segments of the security forces defect, refuse orders or fragment.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defect
Noun
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There were punishments, too, leaving scars and black eyes.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
31 Jan. 2026
-
There’s no scar, dry patch, stretch mark, or scratch that Bio-Oil can’t help fix.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Natan Sharanksy sat in prison in 1983 for the sin of requesting to emigrate from the Soviet Union to Israel.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
28 Jan. 2026
-
From 2017 to 2024, between 51% and 56% of those who emigrated were men, according to Encovi in 2024.—
Jhasua Razo,
CNN Money,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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With the proper equipment, the sun spots will appear as a small black blotch close to the center of the solar disk, positioned a little above the sun’s equator.—
Mary Wasson,
Austin American Statesman,
5 Feb. 2026
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With the proper equipment, AR4366 will appear as a small black blotch close to the center of the solar disk, positioned a little above the sun's equator.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Christmas period will also mark the official end of the Catholic Church’s jubilee year, 12 months dedicated to pilgrimage, spiritual renewal and forgiveness which takes place every 25 years.—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN Money,
25 Dec. 2025
-
Advertisement Travel to the country once limited essentially to pilgrimage and business travel, opened with a tourist e-visa in 2019 and has since become an engine of jobs and investment.—
Ali Shihabi,
Time,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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When a vehicle loses power, however, electronic doors go from an inconvenience to a potentially lethal design fault.—
Adam Ismail,
The Drive,
5 Feb. 2026
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When the tectonic plates began to pull apart millions of years later, those ancient faults at their edges reawakened, reincarnated as transform faults.—
Evan Howell,
Scientific American,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The offer applies to river, ocean, and expedition voyages worldwide, including popular routes through Europe, the Mediterranean, Asia, and the Great Lakes.—
Paris Wilson,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 Jan. 2026
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Reaching about 4,700 miles beyond the lunar farside, the crew will go the farthest from Earth any humans have ever voyaged, ensuring not only rigorous system checks but also breathtaking views of our home planet—and, of course, the moon.—
Lee Billings,
Scientific American,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The body tries to repair the damage, but healing is often slow and incomplete, leaving the bone weakened and vulnerable to collapse or deformity — changes that can lead to lasting hip problems.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Dallas Morning News,
14 Jan. 2026
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The genetic disorder is a connective tissue disease that leads to fragile bones and related complications like short stature, bone deformities, and fractures, per Mayo Clinic.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Shoppers now can quickly compare models, prices and trim levels without trekking to multiple car lots.—
Summer Ballentine,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2026
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Harmon frequently treks through the desert, wearing ankle braces and an orange safety vest, chatting with Border Patrol agents who appear to have taken to her.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defect. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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