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
Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026
Anthropic’s researchers say Mythos Preview was able to detect thousands of high- and critical-severity bugs and software defects, with vulnerabilities identified in most major operating systems and web browsers.
—Kevin Collier, NBC news, 8 Apr. 2026
Tyler Carmona, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
Several Kurdish groups have released public statements hinting at imminent action and urging Iranian military forces to defect.
—John Calabrese, The Conversation, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defect
Noun
Wolfe was born with a congenital heart defect.
—Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026
Anthropic’s researchers say Mythos Preview was able to detect thousands of high- and critical-severity bugs and software defects, with vulnerabilities identified in most major operating systems and web browsers.
—Kevin Collier, NBC news, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
Through the 2000s, players continued to defect.
—Tyler Carmona, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
Several Kurdish groups have released public statements hinting at imminent action and urging Iranian military forces to defect.
—John Calabrese, The Conversation, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defect
Noun
-
Actual spinal surgery was routine in these cases, and many of Motta’s clients bore scars from their procedures.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The country of around 38 million gained independence from Portugal in 1975, but still bears the scars of a devastating civil war that began straight after independence and raged on and off for 27 years before finally ending in 2002.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In 2024, a record 41,294 Hungarians emigrated, according to official statistics, bringing the total number of emigrants during Orbán’s years in power to more than 360,000.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
11 Apr. 2026
-
No one wants to swim in that immense sea that has swallowed so many rafters since Cubans began emigrating after the arrival of Castroism in 1959.—
Sarah Moreno,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This was a black one with blotches faintly outlined in pale yellow, a beautiful but deadly looking animal.—
Dr. C. E. Kuschel,
Outdoor Life,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The eggs vary in color—from white to blue to brown—with speckles, blotches, and other markings and are also distinctive in shape.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Nearly 100,000 visitors pilgrimage to the area annually to witness a forest canopy cloaked in orange-and-black wings.—
Jen Murphy,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Several hundred of them pilgrimage to Arizona each February for the I Heart Pluto Festival.—
David Allan,
CNN Money,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The district and Catholic school administrators had traded blame over who was at fault.—
Kate Armanini,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
-
The jury assigned 60% of the fault to Carnival and 40% to the passenger, who suffered a severe fall and injuries while onboard.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Silversea is lauded for both its classic ocean liners and expedition ships, which voyage the globe including the Poles.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin had become the first human to voyage into space just a month before, with American astronaut Alan Shepard close on his heels.—
Sarah D. Wire,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Fish embryos that grow in the presence of oil may be born with heart defects, as well as spine and skull deformities.—
Jeffrey Marlow,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Born with a club foot and a deformity to his right ear, Meyers — who also contracted polio as a child — found solace in music.—
Hector Saldana,
San Antonio Express-News,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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All the trembling, as Kimbangu touched the sick, alarmed European settlers and reassured the plantation workers who trekked to Nkamba in search of healing.—
Rodney Muhumuza,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Travelers hoping to hit the slopes will want to visit during the winter, while hikers aiming to trek up Mount Rainier should wait until summer.—
Scott Bay,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defect. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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