as in scars
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 defects
James Taylor, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
The jury did not find Uber liable for negligence or design defects, and the company was not ordered to pay punitive damages.
—Samantha Subin, CNBC, 6 Feb. 2026
Most heart defects are benign, Franklin said, such as a patent foramen ovale (a tiny flap in the top chamber), or bicuspid aortic valve (a fusion of the aortic valve leaflets).
—Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 2 Feb. 2026
Other defects ranged from below-code electrical wiring, lighting, fire protection and egress to stairs, sprinklers, fire caulking and emergency lighting.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 1 Feb. 2026
Sophie has championed charities that combat sight defects and conditions around the world.
—Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 30 Jan. 2026
Then agree on the impact metrics — marketing conversions, sales orders, product defects or truck shorts.
—Jennifer Belissent, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
The coroner found no anatomical cause of death—no brain bleed, no congenital defects, no reason that an otherwise healthy boy had suddenly died.
—Ben Taub, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act also holds manufacturers accountable for defects and service mishaps.
—Christopher Elliott, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026
Noun
Their imaging has discovered defects in past parts.
—James Taylor, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
The jury did not find Uber liable for negligence or design defects, and the company was not ordered to pay punitive damages.
—Samantha Subin, CNBC, 6 Feb. 2026
Most heart defects are benign, Franklin said, such as a patent foramen ovale (a tiny flap in the top chamber), or bicuspid aortic valve (a fusion of the aortic valve leaflets).
—Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 2 Feb. 2026
Other defects ranged from below-code electrical wiring, lighting, fire protection and egress to stairs, sprinklers, fire caulking and emergency lighting.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 1 Feb. 2026
Sophie has championed charities that combat sight defects and conditions around the world.
—Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 30 Jan. 2026
Then agree on the impact metrics — marketing conversions, sales orders, product defects or truck shorts.
—Jennifer Belissent, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
The coroner found no anatomical cause of death—no brain bleed, no congenital defects, no reason that an otherwise healthy boy had suddenly died.
—Ben Taub, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act also holds manufacturers accountable for defects and service mishaps.
—Christopher Elliott, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defects
Noun
-
The sudden carnage has been profound, leaving pain and scars.—
Scott Schnipper,
CNBC,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The Premier League is an altogether different beast and Arsenal bear the scars of three successive second-place finishes.—
Peter South,
New York Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
These blotches are fairly plant friendly and produce what is known as algal leaf spot.—
Brian Bell,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Jan. 2026
-
Photos show the Maratus australis spider, which has an intricate pattern of blue and brown blotches edged with bright teal and red-orange stripes.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Between the river’s source, entrusted to an order of Orthodox nuns, and its southern delta, where caviar bound for the Kremlin is harvested, the author journeys through a defiant country transformed by war, sanctions, and reinvigorated patriotism.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Twelve-year-old Atari (Koyu Rankin) soon journeys there aboard a miniature Junior Turboprop to reunite with his bodyguard pup, Spots (Liev Schreiber).—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
These mini-seismic events are not considered true earthquakes because there is no movement along faults or tectonic plate boundaries.—
Tammie Souza,
CBS News,
7 Feb. 2026
-
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 event was hosted by Reawaken USA, a relatively new conservative group that tours college campuses, inviting students to have an open dialogue.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
24 Jan. 2026
-
The hotel does have a nice menu of excursions that includes kayaking in the bay, tours to nearby Cinque Terre, and a visit to local eco-farm La Portofinese where lunches and wine tastings are available.—
Matt Ortile,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The same capabilities that help companies find and fix security flaws can just as easily be weaponized by attackers to discover and exploit the vulnerabilities before defenders can find them.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
6 Feb. 2026
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Its recommendations largely ignore the four fundamental flaws and instead propose a strong mayor system that risks dragging Oakland back to the corruption and special interest dealings that made Tammany Hall famous.—
Steven Falk,
Mercury News,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Boat trips with the hotel’s fleet of luxury liners or a heli ride take you island-hopping to Hydra and Spetses.—
Jemima Sissons,
Condé Nast Traveler,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Shoelaces are scanned to ensure that no player trips and breaks bones.—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
4 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Check all pieces for maker’s marks as these can shed some light on their quality.—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
7 Feb. 2026
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Additionally, as the only Midwestern pick, Chicago earned consistently high marks for its architecture, vibrant arts and culture, offerings, and dynamic dining scene.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defects.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defects. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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