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
  • The cash flows are less predictable, the diligence is harder, the standard consolidation playbook applies imperfectly, and the failure cases are severe.
    — Gustaf Lundberg Toresson, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • Let a few tendrils fall to frame your face for an imperfectly perfect look like Salma Hayek's style.
    — Emily Kelleher, InStyle, 24 June 2026
Definition of imperfectly
Adverb
  • Indian troops were deployed to thwart Chinese advances but were reportedly inadequately supplied, underprepared, and overwhelmed.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 July 2026
  • Undermanned in the middle and inadequately equipped on the back end, Holland, a septuagenarian with four Stanley Cup rings, will have to earn every word of his reputation this summer.
    — Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 28 June 2026
Definition of inadequately
Adverb
  • Like Alito’s paisanes, my Mexican family was also demonized for supposedly being insufficiently American and posing a threat to national unity.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • At times, some groups may feel overlooked or insufficiently welcomed, reminding us that inclusion is a value that must continually be expanded and reaffirmed.
    — Martin Shenkman, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of insufficiently
Adverb
  • When planning rules protect views rather than families, something has gone badly wrong.
    — Belonging Forum, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • Mohammad Taj, who travelled to Delhi from neighboring Haryana state, and whose face was badly bruised in the Monday crackdown, said the march heading to parliament had been peaceful.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
Definition of badly
Adverb
  • Many of these compounds’ efficacy and safety remain incompletely and properly evaluated in humans, and continue to be used outside conventional medical frameworks, increasingly marketed with the language of longevity, optimization, and self-care.
    — Robert Glatter, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • The original video of that game had been damaged and lost for some time, but then, after many years, it was retrieved and painstakingly restored—incompletely, but just enough to get the gist, as with the Dead Sea Scrolls or the Gnostic gospels.
    — David Remnick, New Yorker, 14 June 2026
Definition of incompletely

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Cite this Entry

“Defectively.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defectively. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

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