as in defective
having a fault
an imperfect representation of the circumstances surrounding Paul Revere's famous ride
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Recent Examples of imperfect
While there is a spread in scores, many medical educators say MCAT scores are an imperfect measure of a person’s potential as a physician.
—
Anil Oza, STAT, 15 May 2026
Getting a diagnosis can be difficult, and those who do encounter stigma and imperfect treatment options along the way.
—Theara Coleman, TheWeek, 14 May 2026
Slightly unsettled embraces the unfinished with clothing that’s imperfect.
—Kanika Talwar, Footwear News, 14 May 2026
Just like how your knowledge of the world around you is imperfect, your knowledge about your own knowledge – also called metaknowledge – is often flawed.
—Tommy Blanchard, The Conversation, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for imperfect
Anil Oza, STAT, 15 May 2026
Getting a diagnosis can be difficult, and those who do encounter stigma and imperfect treatment options along the way.
—Theara Coleman, TheWeek, 14 May 2026
Slightly unsettled embraces the unfinished with clothing that’s imperfect.
—Kanika Talwar, Footwear News, 14 May 2026
Just like how your knowledge of the world around you is imperfect, your knowledge about your own knowledge – also called metaknowledge – is often flawed.
—Tommy Blanchard, The Conversation, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for imperfect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imperfect
Adjective
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The goal is ensuring that the legal system reaches the real victims of defective products, dangerous drugs and corporate negligence.—
Arnold Sotelo,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
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That six-story building has had 117 open violations, which include defective self-closing doors on the fourth and sixth floors and nonfunctioning smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors, city records show.—
Emma Seiwell,
New York Daily News,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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There’s nothing worse than arriving at your destination only to realize your shoes were a terrible choice.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
25 May 2026
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Despite a weekend sweep of the Rangers, the Angels are tied for worst record in baseball and their fans are fed up with owner Arte Moreno’s leadership.—
Joaquin Ruiz,
Los Angeles Times,
25 May 2026
Adjective
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When the Hawks’ season ended last month, following an unfathomable 51-point loss to the Knicks in Game 6 of the first-round Eastern Conference series, the prevailing notion seemed to be that the Hawks were fatally flawed.—
Lauren Williams,
AJC.com,
23 May 2026
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This approach is fundamentally flawed.—
Joel Scutchfield,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Imperfect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imperfect. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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