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
Relevance
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
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 flaw
Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 29 Jan. 2026
That’s maybe trying to soften what is essentially Benedict’s main flaw.
—Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
New York Times, 2 Dec. 2025
Instead of trying to collect perfect data, the team argues that even flawed recordings contain enough useful information—if processed properly.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 25 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flaw
Noun
In their tests, AI agents completed sophisticated offensive security challenges for under $50 in LLM costs — tasks that would typically cost close to $100,000 if carried out by human researchers paid to find flaws before criminals do.
—Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 29 Jan. 2026
That’s maybe trying to soften what is essentially Benedict’s main flaw.
—Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
For the reasons discussed below, defendants' arguments are legally flawed and belied by the record and therefore unpersuasive.
—New York Times, 2 Dec. 2025
Instead of trying to collect perfect data, the team argues that even flawed recordings contain enough useful information—if processed properly.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 25 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flaw
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flaw
Noun
-
The defect was linked to at least 54 frontal crashes and the deaths of more than a dozen people.—
Christopher DiLella,
CNBC,
26 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
Verb
-
Some government offices and financial institutions were damaged during the unrest, residents said, while merchants reported being ordered to reopen businesses despite ongoing security operations.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
13 Jan. 2026
-
The gunfire damaged the car’s rear end, trunk, tail light and rear window louver, according to court documents.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Jan. 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
-
Leaves may show blotches and mottled coloring and fruit may remain partially green and irregularly shaped.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
3 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Tempers flared during a recent pair of NBA games, and both contests were marred by tense clashes between players.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
-
To bring cameras into the equation might mar the authenticity of this pursuit.—
Naomi Fry,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Minneapolis is far from alone in navigating high-profile events and bearing scars from multiple tragedies past.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
24 Jan. 2026
-
More commonly, branches are destroyed, or a permanent vertical scar is left in a tree’s trunk, known as a frost rib.—
Owen Clarke,
Outside,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
That was a crime scene, And that crime scene was compromised.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Plus, the soothing licorice root extract helps calm everything down, making this an ideal pick for anyone who wants to combat discoloration without compromising hydration.—
Deanna Pai,
Allure,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Patrick Gary Schlegel, 34, of Sahuarita, was shot and critically injured, according to authorities.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Kevin De Bruyne got injured in October and hasn’t featured since.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In 2021, a record-shattering outbreak of cold in Texas crippled the state’s electric grid, a meltdown blamed in large part on failures in its gas infrastructure.—
Kristi Swartz,
AJC.com,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Widespread power outages, dilapidated equipment, and a lack of spare parts from absent foreign firms crippled operations.—
Scott Montgomery,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flaw. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
