defectively

adverb

as in imperfectly

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of defectively The jury found that the formula was defectively designed, that Abbott failed to adequately warn about the dangers and risks of the formula and that Abbott was negligent. — Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026 Lawyers for Garg’s family argued that the Boeing plane involved in the crash was defectively designed and alleged the company did not warn passengers about the safety concerns, according to Reuters. — Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 13 Nov. 2025 The lawsuit alleged that the 737 MAX plane was defectively designed and that Boeing failed to warn passengers and the public about its dangers. — Reuters, NBC news, 13 Nov. 2025 In the suit, the plaintiffs claimed HHI defectively designed and manufactured the switchboard in such a manner that wiring connections were not secure, could not be verified as secure, and could lose connection during normal operation. — Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 6 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defectively
  1. imperfectly
  2. inadequately
  3. insufficiently
  4. badly
  5. incompletely
Adverb
  • Weaving the narratives together creates a fuller picture of generations of men and women who, however imperfectly, did their best to carve out lives for themselves in a world determined to humiliate them.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The department exists to preserve some semblance of equal justice in the United States — imperfectly, haltingly, often overbearingly for some and cautiously for others — and help ensure that the nation is governed by the rule of law.
    — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of imperfectly
Adverb
  • However, his excavations focused largely on major artifacts while leaving other parts of the tombs unexplored and inadequately documented.
    — Anne Doran for ARTnews, Robb Report, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Jackson County used flawed property value assessments, inadequately notified taxpayers, conducted substandard inspections and had poor oversight, according to a scathing report from Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of inadequately
Adverb
  • The group had been considering revoking the endorsement of the council member over her views on Israel, which some considered insufficiently tough.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026
  • At an October debate, Bass pointed out that Raman, as chair of the city council’s housing and homelessness committee, had repeatedly approved spending on Inside Safe, the very program Raman now criticizes as expensive and insufficiently accountable.
    — Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of insufficiently
Adverb
  • Ask whether the time changed, the location changed, or someone simply explained it badly.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 3 Nov. 2026
  • The Heat were badly outclassed by Luka Doncic and the Lakers.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of badly
Adverb
  • The lungs process substances differently from the digestive system, and the health effects of chronic inhalation of propylene glycol through e-cigarette aerosol remain incompletely understood.
    — Emma Fenske, The Conversation, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Although the precise mechanisms remain incompletely understood, evidence indicates that exposure to components of tick saliva stimulates the production of IgE antibodies against alpha-gal in susceptible individuals.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of incompletely

Browse Nearby Words

defective
defectively
defectiveness
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Cite this Entry

“Defectively.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defectively. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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