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
Bart Jansen, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025
Likewise, early hints at darker character flaws — like that Edward might become drunk on power or that Rafferty might have a sadistic streak — tend to dissipate as the characters grow or deepen.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2025
The largest study enrolled just 80 children, and the other, smaller trials had design flaws that cast doubt on any hints of efficacy.
—Lisa Jarvis, Mercury News, 25 Sep. 2025
One of Philadelphia's potential flaws could come in the defensive secondary.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Only today were legislators informed of flaws the Commission has known about for months.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 24 Sep. 2025
Its reasons for doing so have been remarkably vague, with suggestions of unspecified flaws to the permitting process that involve everything from environmental impacts to detail-free national security concerns.
—John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2025
Newsom and his colleagues in the state Senate are showing serious character flaws.
—John Moorlach, Oc Register, 22 Sep. 2025
For some people, this seems safer than the challenges of a relationship with a real person, flaws and all.
—Mark Mondier, Arkansas Online, 21 Sep. 2025
Noun
That left Republicans to hammer away at flaws in FBI conduct and Democrats to argue that the agency was obligated to investigate.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025
Likewise, early hints at darker character flaws — like that Edward might become drunk on power or that Rafferty might have a sadistic streak — tend to dissipate as the characters grow or deepen.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2025
The largest study enrolled just 80 children, and the other, smaller trials had design flaws that cast doubt on any hints of efficacy.
—Lisa Jarvis, Mercury News, 25 Sep. 2025
One of Philadelphia's potential flaws could come in the defensive secondary.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Only today were legislators informed of flaws the Commission has known about for months.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 24 Sep. 2025
Its reasons for doing so have been remarkably vague, with suggestions of unspecified flaws to the permitting process that involve everything from environmental impacts to detail-free national security concerns.
—John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2025
Newsom and his colleagues in the state Senate are showing serious character flaws.
—John Moorlach, Oc Register, 22 Sep. 2025
For some people, this seems safer than the challenges of a relationship with a real person, flaws and all.
—Mark Mondier, Arkansas Online, 21 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flaws
Noun
-
For children, exposure to enough lead for weeks to months could cause permanent damage to their central nervous system, resulting in learning disorders, developmental defects, and other long-term health problems, the federal agency added.—
Jonathan Limehouse,
USA Today,
27 Sep. 2025
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Stretchy and stable By combining MoS₂ with Nafion, the polymer not only reinforces the fragile material but also helps heal defects on the surface that usually kill light output.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
These instructions help turn off the harmful protein that damages brain cells.—
Doc Louallen,
ABC News,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Every departure damages a team’s ability to deliver value to customers.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Over eight episodes, the brothers find themselves at the mercy of Mancuso — a former family friend — and his vicious henchmen, and they are forced to confront the emotional scars of growing up with an alcoholic father, who had gambled away his own restaurant.—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Sep. 2025
-
These are atomic-scale scars caused by the immense pressures of an impact shockwave.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
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
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Valuing a project at cost of production rather than value in an arm’s length sale—common in all economic statistics—especially mars Chinese data.—
Bill Conerly,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The belly is tan or gray with dark blotches.—
Kirsten Fiscus,
Nashville Tennessean,
17 Sep. 2025
-
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
Verb
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But the broader debate—the question of when, exactly, the pursuit of athletic achievement compromises the bulk of the achievement itself—has begun to reverberate far beyond the mountains.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
20 Sep. 2025
-
Resting longer than one minute compromises the metabolic stress of training.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Its perfectly circular shape, central peak, and ring of faults looked suspiciously like an impact crater.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Sep. 2025
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The characters’ faults, however, lie not in their stars but in themselves.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Automobility directly or indirectly causes one in 34 deaths annually, injures more than 100 million people a year, and has killed as many people as the two World Wars combined.—
Henrietta Moore,
Fortune,
16 Sep. 2025
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If a dog that has not been officially declared dangerous severely injures or kills a person when unprovoked, authorities may confiscate the dog, and the dog’s owner is liable for the incident.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flaws.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flaws. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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