flaw
1 Americannoun
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a feature that mars the perfection of something; defect; fault.
beauty without flaw; the flaws in our plan.
- Synonyms:
- spot, blot, imperfection
-
a defect impairing legal soundness or validity.
-
a crack, break, breach, or rent.
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
-
Also called windflaw. a sudden, usually brief windstorm or gust of wind.
-
a short spell of rough weather.
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Obsolete. a burst of feeling, fury, etc.
noun
-
an imperfection, defect, or blemish
-
a crack, breach, or rift
-
law an invalidating fault or defect in a document or proceeding
verb
noun
-
-
a sudden short gust of wind; squall
-
a spell of bad, esp windy, weather
-
-
obsolete an outburst of strong feeling
Related Words
See defect.
Other Word Forms
- flawless adjective
- flawlessly adverb
- flawlessness noun
- flawy adjective
Etymology
Origin of flaw1
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English flage, flaw(e), perhaps from Old Norse flaga “sliver, flake”
Origin of flaw2
First recorded in 1475–85, flaw is from the Old Norse word flaga attack, squall
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Despite its flaws, “Unread” is more than a bildungsroman in an era of clicks; like Tara Westover’s bestselling 2018 memoir, “Educated,” it’s a testament to the power of knowledge to transform a life.
As clearly as Andie might be able to see herself, it’s far more difficult for her to see the flaws in her burgeoning romance with Blane until they become glaringly apparent.
From Salon
Last Sunday’s debacle in an uninspiring and ugly loss to a higher-seeded, more aggressive, more talented and more balanced Celtics team seemed to expose all the flaws that plague this struggling and inconsistent Lakers team.
From Los Angeles Times
These complex characters include lovers, teachers and employers, both benign and flawed.
Substantively, this is a powerful approach, since it attacks the key structural flaw in the current system.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
