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
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
Tovia Smith, NPR, 13 Aug. 2025
Since the takeover, Newcastle’s recruitment has been first-class, but their strategy this summer, to bring in oven-ready players for the Premier League, has been flawed.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2025
Cátia Rodrigues, Variety, 16 Aug. 2025
In early discovery, speed helps teams test assumptions and surface flaws quickly.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flaw
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Verb
Last December, a federal bankruptcy court judge in Texas stopped a sale to The Onion, saying the bankruptcy auction process was flawed.
—Tovia Smith, NPR, 13 Aug. 2025
Since the takeover, Newcastle’s recruitment has been first-class, but their strategy this summer, to bring in oven-ready players for the Premier League, has been flawed.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2025
Noun
With an old forgotten camera, technical flaws and limitations on one side and quotidian serendipities on the other turn into cinematic accidents, intentionally embraced by the filmmakers during editing, from which the film’s language emerges as a way of seeing and hearing nearby.
—Cátia Rodrigues, Variety, 16 Aug. 2025
In early discovery, speed helps teams test assumptions and surface flaws quickly.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flaw
Cite this Entry
“Flaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flaw. Accessed 22 Aug. 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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