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flaw 1 of 2

noun

ˈflȯ How to pronounce flaw (audio)
Definition of flawnext
as in defect
something that spoils the appearance or completeness of a thing noted the flaw in the diamond before I bought it

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

flaw

2 of 2

verb

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

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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
Noun
His torrid first half against Real Betis in the UEFA Conference League final six weeks earlier gave the impression of a footballer being put into an uncomfortable position where his strengths were marginalised and his flaws amplified. — Liam Twomey, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026 Some deepfakes still have telltale flaws such as unnatural facial movements, lip-sync glitches, robotic speech or awkward pauses — but the technology is rapidly improving, a spokesperson for the organization said. — Emily Elconin For Cnn, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2026
Verb
This analysis made several assumptions, some of which were flawed (though entirely reasonably). — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 10 June 2026 That process can be tedious, may involve delays due to issues with resources, outdated technology or flawed data reporting practices, and may ultimately result in partial data or data with redactions. — Divya Ramjee, The Conversation, 8 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for flaw
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flaw
  1. defect
  2. damage
  3. blotch
  4. mar
  5. scar
  6. compromise
  7. injure
  8. cripple
Noun
  • The other infant, a 6-week-old girl with a genetic defect that left her highly vulnerable to infection, died of measles, Diamantoni told the Associated Press.
    — Mead Gruver, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • If one prisoner makes a deal (defects) then that prisoner gets to go free and the other gets a heavier sentence.
    — Chris Lee, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of defect
Verb
  • The vessel's superstructure and deck were damaged in the morning attack, Kiper said on Telegram.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The incident damaged filter capacitors and contributed to a shutdown lasting around six months.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of damage
Noun
  • Juveniles can be distinguished by their dark facial bands and gray or tan body patterned with black or brown blotches.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Crews are also using steam to remove blotches of chewing gum, which have turned black over time.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of blotch
Verb
  • Another interesting option is Yetur Gross-Matos, whose recent stint with the 49ers was marred by a knee issue.
    — Matt Barrows, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The latter track takes overt inspiration from Sofia Coppola’s 2006 film Marie Antoinette, as Jepsen beckons her love to engage in life’s vices with her, like marring bedsheets with fruit stains and dashing nude through the garden.
    — Jaeden Pinder, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of mar
Noun
  • This includes, but is not limited to, the Robertson Draw, East Side, Elk, and McGhee-Remington burn scars.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Autopsy photos displayed in court revealed welts, bruises and scars all over the boy’s body, and police found ropes and chains in the apartment that witnesses said were used to restrain him.
    — Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of scar
Verb
  • Yet embedding auditors alongside employees, as Amodei suggested, could compromise their impartiality.
    — Jacek Krywko, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Seventy years ago, Blancpain proved that making a women’s watch smaller did not mean compromising its mechanics.
    — Taylor Stoddard, Robb Report, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of compromise
Verb
  • The pilots of an Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 were blamed for crashing into a seawall in 2013, sending their jet cartwheeling down a runway in San Francisco, killing three people and injuring 187 others.
    — Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The jet, traveling from San Juan, Puerto Rico, overshot the runway, killing five people and injuring another five.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of injure
Verb
  • Then, after becoming Trojans AD in August 2010, he was tasked with moving the athletic department past crippling NCAA sanctions.
    — The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Young men and women went overseas, on orders of presidents, to try to cripple and kill the enemy and its enablers in foreign lands.
    — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of cripple

Browse Nearby Words

flavorsome
flaw
flawed
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Cite this Entry

“Flaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flaw. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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