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 Web
Matt Fuchs, TIME, 9 Dec. 2024
At this point, anyone following artificial intelligence is familiar with the many (often flawed) benchmarks companies use to demonstrate a model's effectiveness at everything from math and logical reasoning to vision and weather forecasting.
—Ars Technica, 3 Feb. 2025
Eric Lach, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025
The flaw, in my opinion, is the walls on either side of the garage door opening.
—Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 1 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for flaw 
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
The underlying research was unpublished and flawed in several ways, according to a public letter signed by 34 scientists.
—Matt Fuchs, TIME, 9 Dec. 2024
At this point, anyone following artificial intelligence is familiar with the many (often flawed) benchmarks companies use to demonstrate a model's effectiveness at everything from math and logical reasoning to vision and weather forecasting.
—Ars Technica, 3 Feb. 2025
Noun
No broker in the world can sell a leaning tower at twenty-four hundred dollars per square foot, even if the lean is imperceptible to the naked eye, and even though the flaw is not so anomalous.
—Eric Lach, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025
The flaw, in my opinion, is the walls on either side of the garage door opening.
—Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 1 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for flaw
Dictionary Entries Near flaw
Cite this Entry
“Flaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flaw. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
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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