as in defect
something that spoils the appearance or completeness of a thing
noted the flaw in the diamond before I bought it
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to damage
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
that crack has flawed the vase to the extent that its value in the antiques market is greatly reduced
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flaw
PC Magazine, 11 Sep. 2025
The Toronto Blue Jays are holding onto a divisional lead despite three losses in their last four games, but a potentially fatal flaw has emerged on the roster.
—Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Bram Ebus, Time, 20 Aug. 2025
The Court of Cassation found that the murder investigation had been flawed from the start.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flaw
Noun
Thanks to the flaw, the hackers were able to crack the credentials and gain administrative privileges to accounts on Ascension’s Microsoft Active Directory server, which can be harnessed to manage user accounts and applications over a company’s network.
—PC Magazine, 11 Sep. 2025
The Toronto Blue Jays are holding onto a divisional lead despite three losses in their last four games, but a potentially fatal flaw has emerged on the roster.
—Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
Past attempts at crop substitution failed due to bureaucratic hurdles, missing funds, and flawed agricultural projects.
—Bram Ebus, Time, 20 Aug. 2025
The Court of Cassation found that the murder investigation had been flawed from the start.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flaw
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flaw
Noun
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However, even high-quality 2D materials can have atomic defects, like missing sulfur or selenium atoms, which affect electrical behavior.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Sep. 2025
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American electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian is recalling more than 24,000 vehicles because of a defect with hands-free highway assist, federal safety regulators said.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Using abrasive cleaner or products with harsh chemicals can damage the beautiful material and lead to a less-than-pretty tub.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
14 Sep. 2025
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But posting on social media leaves a record, and in times of escalating political polarization, those declarations can be seen as damaging to the reputation of an individual or their employer.—
Nino Paoli,
Fortune,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Gopher snakes tend to be tan-colored with large square brown blotches or saddles along their backs and smaller gray spots on their sides.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
28 Aug. 2025
-
The baby was purple-gray-colored, in blotches; wet, smeared in blood and what looked like whitish wax.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 July 2025
Verb
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The disruptions come amid a WNBA season in which multiple games were marred by the objects making appearances on the court.—
Anna Lazarus Caplan,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
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Each death was devastating to relatives and friends left behind, and the first decades of the twentieth century were marred by individual grief on a global scale.—
Alice Vernon
September 8,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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And of course, smaller incisions mean more inconspicuous scars.—
Megan McIntyre,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
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My top-surgery scars are tattooed over, the suture marks no longer visible.—
Thomas Page McBee,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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My office and our partners will continue to hold fully accountable anyone seeking to compromise the national security of the United States.—
Jon Haworth,
ABC News,
16 Sep. 2025
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Having a solid structure in place can allow kindness to thrive without compromising the performance of your team or operations.—
Roxana Diaconu,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The severity, healing and availability of Purdy’s toe will depend heavily on which toe is injured and what specific part of the toe got injured.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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Almost certainly out this week also is injured receiver Xavier Worthy (shoulder), who provided most of the scant glimmers of hope in the Super Bowl with eight catches for 157 yards and two touchdowns.—
Vahe Gregorian,
Kansas City Star,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Killing, Corrupting, and Exiling of Science Under Hitler Widely regarded as the world’s research powerhouse in the 1920s and early 30s, German science was crippled by the Nazis starting in 1933, when Hitler gained power as Chancellor.—
Scott Montgomery,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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Deadly floods in Asia have devastated crops, crippling already fragile food production.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flaw. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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