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
William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 6 Mar. 2026
Two Republicans have asked a judge to keep an independent Louisville Metro Council candidate who is endorsed by the Louisville Democratic Party off the ballot, citing flaws in her election filing paperwork.
—Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 6 Mar. 2026
Likewise, flaws in the home’s floor plan won’t cause the house to come falling down — but unlike minor repairs, you’re stuck with them if they weren’t addressed before construction.
—Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2026
Chiang Kai-shek had enormous flaws as a leader, but something was nonetheless lost to China when he and his Republican government were forced into exile on Taiwan.
—Orville Schell, The New York Review of Books, 5 Mar. 2026
The flaws in that approach have seemed particularly obvious to the leaders of Ukraine, who have more experience countering these drones than any other country.
—Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
The midweek performance was not without its flaws, however.
—Melanie Anzidei, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
The three states have urged the federal government to fix or overhaul the dam to address design flaws that create problems when the reservoir is low.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2026
That pressure led to a pair of flaws Prestonwood was unable to rise above when a championship was on the line on Friday.
—Rick Kretzschmar, Dallas Morning News, 27 Feb. 2026
Noun
One of the flaws in that process was that individuals were able to call Bank of America after applying for a card and get the bank to send it to a different address than was listed on their initial application, Scott said.
—William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 6 Mar. 2026
Two Republicans have asked a judge to keep an independent Louisville Metro Council candidate who is endorsed by the Louisville Democratic Party off the ballot, citing flaws in her election filing paperwork.
—Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 6 Mar. 2026
Likewise, flaws in the home’s floor plan won’t cause the house to come falling down — but unlike minor repairs, you’re stuck with them if they weren’t addressed before construction.
—Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2026
Chiang Kai-shek had enormous flaws as a leader, but something was nonetheless lost to China when he and his Republican government were forced into exile on Taiwan.
—Orville Schell, The New York Review of Books, 5 Mar. 2026
The flaws in that approach have seemed particularly obvious to the leaders of Ukraine, who have more experience countering these drones than any other country.
—Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
The midweek performance was not without its flaws, however.
—Melanie Anzidei, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
The three states have urged the federal government to fix or overhaul the dam to address design flaws that create problems when the reservoir is low.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2026
That pressure led to a pair of flaws Prestonwood was unable to rise above when a championship was on the line on Friday.
—Rick Kretzschmar, Dallas Morning News, 27 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flaws
Noun
-
Ford estimates that all of these vehicles have the defects.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
-
My companion must be of the same species, and have the same defects.—
Rory Doherty,
Time,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Kemerly was diagnosed with a liver disease in 2007 that slowly damages the liver.—
Chris Hoffman,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
-
For example, if a hurricane destroys a school, a courthouse and 50 miles of roads in a city, FEMA will give the local government more money than if that same hurricane damages one building.—
Lauren Sommer,
NPR,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Several past crimes have left permanent scars on the city's collective memory.—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American Statesman,
7 Mar. 2026
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The scars of the past become painfully visible during a dam drawdown, exposing a graveyard of cypress trees that didn’t survive the inundation of water.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The picture exudes both grace and vulnerability, and hints at imperfection by way of a disconcerting, coral-like wrinkle that mars the foot’s heel.—
Chris Wiley,
New Yorker,
20 Dec. 2025
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Deadly holiday weekend mars broad crime drop The back-and-forth followed a Labor Day weekend of deadly violence in Chicago worse than in the previous two years, with seven people shot to death, according to preliminary Chicago Police Department reports.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Its purple black center was surrounded by blotches of varying shades and textures, raised or sunken at places.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Feb. 2026
-
These blotches are fairly plant friendly and produce what is known as algal leaf spot.—
Brian Bell,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This is the players telling the world that Schoen’s presence and performance drag the team down and compromises their ability to win.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Prepared Frozen Foods Dumplings and gyoza are typically flash-frozen after shaping and should be cooked straight from frozen; thawing softens the wrappers and compromises texture.—
Anne Wolf,
Martha Stewart,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
For all their faults, looksmaxxers are intent on de-fetishizing this particular commodity, revealing beauty to be the product of strenuous (and often deranging) labor.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
7 Mar. 2026
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Restaurant operators acknowledged their own faults for lengthening the permit process, including by providing incorrect or incomplete information, according to the report.—
Miguel Otárola,
Denver Post,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
When Don injures his hand, Blue (Hunter McVey) is forced to step into the competition for him.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Bystander videos, like the ones taken of Pretti, have played a key role for decades in informing the public when law enforcement kills or injures people.—
Ava Berger,
NPR,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flaws.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flaws. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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