1
a
: a defect in physical structure or form
a diamond with a flaw
b
: an imperfection or weakness and especially one that detracts from the whole or hinders effectiveness
vanity was the flaw in his character
a flaw in the book's plot
2
obsolete
: fragment
flawed; flawing; flaws
: to become defective
1
: a sudden brief burst of wind
the wind changed with flaws from westward—
Archibald MacLeish
Archibald MacLeish
also
: a spell of stormy weather
2
obsolete
: an outburst especially of passion
Synonyms
Noun (1)
- blemish
- blight
- blotch
- defect
- deformity
- disfigurement
- excrescence
- excrescency
- fault
- imperfection
- mar
- mark
- pockmark
- scar
Verb
Examples of flaw in a Sentence
Noun (1)
noted the flaw in the diamond before I bought it
Verb
that crack has flawed the vase to the extent that its value in the antiques market is greatly reduced
Recent Examples on the WebJessica Guynn, USA TODAY, 2 May 2024
Today Boeing’s leaders are tepidly admitting that this shareholders-first, cut-costs, workers-be-damned strategy was flawed.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 10 Apr. 2024
The study has since been shown to have been flawed.
—Maggie Fox, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
That system may be flawed, but at least enrollment in a public school doesn’t require a waiting list or depend on the largesse of a billionaire or an employer.
—Elliot Haspel, The Atlantic, 20 Mar. 2024
And, if justice is already flawed in theory, its practices and the entire criminal system contribute even less towards a restorative process in society.
—Callum McLennan, Variety, 24 Jan. 2024
Some election experts say its methodology is flawed.
—The Arizona Republic, 25 Feb. 2024
In late January, a Delaware judge voided his $55.8 billion Tesla compensation package — the largest in US corporate history — after an investor claimed it was flawed by conflicts of interests and misleading disclosures by the electric car company.
—Madlin Mekelburg, Fortune, 16 Feb. 2024
The institute denied that the studies were flawed, as did the lead author, James Studnicki, who is vice president and director of data analytics at the institute.
—Pam Belluck, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2024
Michael Kan, PCMAG, 10 May 2024
Every flaw will be exposed in the Big 12, especially the lack of depth.
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 10 May 2024
The spike in thefts has been blamed on a lack of theft immobilizers in many Hyundai and Kia vehicles, a security flaw that spread on social media.
—Bailey Schulz, USA TODAY, 10 May 2024
The most recent recall, which applied to every single Tesla sold to date, has now come under a new investigation for its failure to prevent driver misuse and correct the flaws identified in the first recall.
—Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 8 May 2024
This time Dave Roberts gets one Once almost traded to the Angels, Andy Pages is the Dodgers’ newest rookie star
How hitting with runners in scoring position has been Shohei Ohtani’s one Dodgers flaw
Ex-Dodger Jayson Werth has a horse in the Kentucky Derby.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2024
In 2007, Michael Lynch, an evolutionary biologist at Arizona State University, had pointed out a flaw in the way many people were thinking about evolution.
—Quanta Magazine, 2 May 2024
The major flaw came to bear earlier this year when a Ford Mustang Mach-E SUV crashed into a 56-year-old Texas man who was driving a Honda CR-V.
—Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 1 May 2024
The general consensus of the the defense’s witnesses was Elders has flaws but is a good person who made mistakes.
—James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 May 2024
Verb
Palantir said the Labor Department’s analysis was flawed.
—Jessica Guynn, USA TODAY, 2 May 2024
Today Boeing’s leaders are tepidly admitting that this shareholders-first, cut-costs, workers-be-damned strategy was flawed.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 10 Apr. 2024
The study has since been shown to have been flawed.
—Maggie Fox, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
That system may be flawed, but at least enrollment in a public school doesn’t require a waiting list or depend on the largesse of a billionaire or an employer.
—Elliot Haspel, The Atlantic, 20 Mar. 2024
And, if justice is already flawed in theory, its practices and the entire criminal system contribute even less towards a restorative process in society.
—Callum McLennan, Variety, 24 Jan. 2024
Some election experts say its methodology is flawed.
—The Arizona Republic, 25 Feb. 2024
In late January, a Delaware judge voided his $55.8 billion Tesla compensation package — the largest in US corporate history — after an investor claimed it was flawed by conflicts of interests and misleading disclosures by the electric car company.
—Madlin Mekelburg, Fortune, 16 Feb. 2024
The institute denied that the studies were flawed, as did the lead author, James Studnicki, who is vice president and director of data analytics at the institute.
—Pam Belluck, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2024
Noun
The flaw also likely affects other browsers, such as Microsoft Edge and Brave, which also rely on Google’s open-source Chromium software.
—Michael Kan, PCMAG, 10 May 2024
Every flaw will be exposed in the Big 12, especially the lack of depth.
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 10 May 2024
The spike in thefts has been blamed on a lack of theft immobilizers in many Hyundai and Kia vehicles, a security flaw that spread on social media.
—Bailey Schulz, USA TODAY, 10 May 2024
The most recent recall, which applied to every single Tesla sold to date, has now come under a new investigation for its failure to prevent driver misuse and correct the flaws identified in the first recall.
—Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 8 May 2024
This time Dave Roberts gets one Once almost traded to the Angels, Andy Pages is the Dodgers’ newest rookie star
How hitting with runners in scoring position has been Shohei Ohtani’s one Dodgers flaw
Ex-Dodger Jayson Werth has a horse in the Kentucky Derby.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2024
In 2007, Michael Lynch, an evolutionary biologist at Arizona State University, had pointed out a flaw in the way many people were thinking about evolution.
—Quanta Magazine, 2 May 2024
The major flaw came to bear earlier this year when a Ford Mustang Mach-E SUV crashed into a 56-year-old Texas man who was driving a Honda CR-V.
—Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 1 May 2024
The general consensus of the the defense’s witnesses was Elders has flaws but is a good person who made mistakes.
—James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flaw.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near flaw
Cite this Entry
“Flaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flaw. Accessed 16 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
flaw
1 of 2 noun
: a small often hidden defect
flawless
adjective
-ləs
flawlessly
adverb
flawlessness
noun
flaw
2 of 2 verb
: to make or become defective
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