imperfectly

adverb

as in improperly

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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 imperfectly The department exists to preserve some semblance of equal justice in the United States — imperfectly, haltingly, often overbearingly for some and cautiously for others — and help ensure that the nation is governed by the rule of law. — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 20 Aug. 2026 Rather than suffering because leaders acted imperfectly, organizations often suffer because leaders waited too long to act at all. — Irma Becerra, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026 Stories of first times, of big feelings imperfectly grasped, of life coming into focus for better or worse. — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2026 America’s next 250 years America has rebuilt trust before, imperfectly and through struggle. — Keith Krach, Fortune, 1 Aug. 2026 But the legal system’s binary standard—sane and guilty, or insane and not—fits imperfectly with human intuitions about culpability in tragedies like the Clancys’. — Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 30 July 2026 Let a few tendrils fall to frame your face for an imperfectly perfect look like Salma Hayek's style. — Emily Kelleher, InStyle, 24 June 2026 The sport that does more to restrain imbalance, however imperfectly, keeps tightening its grip on the national imagination. — Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2026 But the trajectory seems to be that science is learning, cautiously and imperfectly, to author life. — André O. Hudson, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imperfectly
  1. improperly
  2. inadequately
  3. incorrectly
  4. wrongly
  5. erroneously
  6. misguidedly
  7. inaccurately
  8. irrelevantly
Adverb
  • Now, Amy Helm has countersued the studio, alleging that her successor, Brian Parillo, used invalid corporate actions to take control of the famed music venue in Woodstock, New York, and improperly obtained voting power from Levon Helm’s widow.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 20 Oct. 2026
  • What’s Happening Mycotoxins are toxins formed by molds that can grow on crops like grains and coffee beans if improperly stored.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of improperly
Adverb
  • Even as funding pours in, first responders say the village remains inadequately prepared to protect residents and tourists.
    — Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The case accused school officials of unreasonably exposing McNair to the risk of heatstroke, failing to recognize the initial symptoms and inadequately providing medical care and treatment, thus worsening McNair’s condition.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of inadequately
Adverb
  • More than this though, in scientific research, committing a Type 1 error — incorrectly believing there is sufficient evidence for a new claim when the claim is actually wrong — does not reflect poorly on the quality of the science done.
    — Mark Louie F. Ramos, STAT, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Others reacted to the post using letter emoji to spell out — incorrectly — a racial slur for Black people.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of incorrectly
Adverb
  • More than 130 million voters were deleted during the revision but the Election Commission has denied favouring any party and said wrongly deleted voters can re-enrol.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026
  • More than 130 million voters were deleted during the revision but the Election Commission has denied favoring any party and said wrongly deleted voters can re-enrol.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of wrongly
Adverb
  • The law is supposed to prevent mistakes that could erroneously purge eligible voters right before an election without giving voters time to correct errors.
    — Miles Parks, NPR, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Fencebridge now denies that figure, stating that the comment was made erroneously, and the figure is closer to $24 million — $13 million for ammunition and $11 million for guns.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of erroneously
Adverb
  • In both projects, she was tasked not only with playing the same person from young adulthood to maturity, but also with bringing new dimension to a literary character whom readers have misguidedly despised for decades.
    — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of misguidedly
Adverb
  • Part of the Blue Island discourse was predicated on the language some Black artists sometimes use to express their frustration around their art being inaccurately labeled.
    — Kyle Denis, Billboard, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Keep in mind, though, that software often inaccurately depicts the actuation points of keyboards, albeit by amounts that are hard to notice, according to RTINGs’ testing).
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of inaccurately
Adverb
  • Grandma, irrelevantly but convincingly, spoke of wars, blizzards and trekking barefoot to school.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 July 2026
Definition of irrelevantly

Browse Nearby Words

imperfections
imperfectly
imperfectness
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Cite this Entry

“Imperfectly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imperfectly. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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