as in defects
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 damages
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 flaws
Jocelyn Frye, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 June 2026
Historic distance and distaste between the parties Both Paxton’s and Platner’s flaws were well known prior to primary voting.
—Charlie Hunt, The Conversation, 18 June 2026
If unethical actors can deploy custom frontier AI models to aggressively interrogate smart contracts and find hidden protocol flaws, human-only defensive audits will be rendered obsolete.
—Sean Stein Smith, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Both brands have design flaws, such as maintaining the heat properly in cooler weather.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 16 June 2026
And his flaws—pride, inexperience—are consequential.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 16 June 2026
Anta Claus is spilling over with character flaws, idiosyncrasies, jealousy and frustration.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 16 June 2026
That means not hiding any flaws, and being upfront about your baggage from the beginning.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 15 June 2026
Their films’ starkness has potentially overwhelming power but also risks foregrounding flaws of judgment and finish.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 12 June 2026
Noun
For too long, flaws in our democracy have excluded certain groups — like women and people of color — from full participation.
—Jocelyn Frye, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 June 2026
Historic distance and distaste between the parties Both Paxton’s and Platner’s flaws were well known prior to primary voting.
—Charlie Hunt, The Conversation, 18 June 2026
If unethical actors can deploy custom frontier AI models to aggressively interrogate smart contracts and find hidden protocol flaws, human-only defensive audits will be rendered obsolete.
—Sean Stein Smith, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Both brands have design flaws, such as maintaining the heat properly in cooler weather.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 16 June 2026
And his flaws—pride, inexperience—are consequential.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 16 June 2026
Anta Claus is spilling over with character flaws, idiosyncrasies, jealousy and frustration.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 16 June 2026
That means not hiding any flaws, and being upfront about your baggage from the beginning.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 15 June 2026
Their films’ starkness has potentially overwhelming power but also risks foregrounding flaws of judgment and finish.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 12 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flaws
Noun
-
Federal bridge inspections – rooted in National Bridge Inspection Standards mandated by Congress in 1968 – exist because past failures showed that small defects can threaten large structures.—
Alex Krasnok,
Fortune,
21 June 2026
-
Inspections keep bridges safe, but are snapshots Federal bridge inspections – rooted in National Bridge Inspection Standards mandated by Congress in 1968 – exist because past failures showed that small defects can threaten large structures.—
Alex Krasnok,
The Conversation,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
Dana Sue and Ronnie's strained relationship is exasperated by a fire that breaks out — accelerated by off-brand e-bikes Ronnie bought behind Dana Sue’s back and stored in their garage — and damages their house.—
Francesca Gariano,
PEOPLE,
13 June 2026
-
Roslovic’s poor playoff showing severely damages his chances of earning an extension with the Oilers for next season and of a sizable deal elsewhere.—
Shayna Goldman,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
So one of the best teams the World Cup has ever seen left without the trophy and a West German side representing a nation still bearing the scars of the Second World War triumphed.—
Will Jeanes,
New York Times,
20 June 2026
-
The agency said Sanchez-Munoz has brown hair, weighs 184 pounds, is 5 feet 8 inches tall, has a tattoo on his right bicep and acne scars on his face.—
Nathan Pilling,
Kansas City Star,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
No sadness mars the purity of its paranoia.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2026
-
However, an earnestness mars most of the proceedings.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Verticillium wilt causes similar blotches and yellowing.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 June 2026
-
Pine snakes can grow up to 56 inches in length, have black, brown, and russet scales with dark blotches along their backs, and are noted for having a pointed nose, which experts believe may help with burrowing.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Essentially, a dull mower blade compromises the health and appearance of your grass.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
14 June 2026
-
This layout makes the monitor a natural fit for high-traffic environments like banking counters, medical reception desks, and service queues where traditional screen-sharing is often clumsy or compromises privacy.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
Both faults comprise the geologic boundary between the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
-
To determine what causes an earthquake to travel through the Cajon Pass, the team reconstructed the last 1,000 years of seismic activity along the two faults, tracking how stress accumulated and released.—
Kasha Patel,
CNN Money,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
Who is responsible when a robot breaks something or injures someone?—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2026
-
This storyline later appeared in the second season of Girls, as Dunham’s character Hannah is overwhelmed with the anxiety of writing a novel and similarly injures herself.—
Caitlin Huston,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flaws.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flaws. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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