flawed

Meanings

1. 1adjectivecomparable

   Having a fault or weakness that stops something from being perfect or sound.

   Grammar: Can follow a noun or a verb: a flawed plan; the plan is flawed.

   Patterns

   • flawed by something
   • deeply flawed

   The experiment was flawed because the sample was too small.

   Her argument is clever but fatally flawed.

   A flawed design caused the bridge to sway.

2. 2adjectivecomparable

   Showing human weakness in character, often making someone more realistic.

   Grammar: Often used neutrally or sympathetically for characters: a flawed hero.

   Patterns

   • a flawed character

   The novel's hero is a flawed man trying to do right.

   We trust flawed leaders who admit mistakes.

   She loved the film's flawed, human characters.

Word forms

Common combinations

deeply flawed

The survey method was deeply flawed.

fatally flawed

The plan was fatally flawed from the start.

flawed logic

His flawed logic led to the wrong answer.

flawed design

A flawed design made the chair unsafe.

flawed hero

The flawed hero struggles with pride.

Synonyms and how they differ

faulty

Faulty usually describes machines or equipment that do not work, while flawed is wider and also covers ideas and people.

imperfect

Imperfect is milder and neutral, saying less than perfect, not seriously weak.

defective

Defective describes a product with a manufacturing fault.

unsound

Unsound suggests reasoning or structure that cannot be relied on.

Opposites

Word family

flaw noun

a mistake or weakness

flawless adjective

without any fault

flawlessly adverb

without mistakes

flawed verb

past form of the rare verb flaw

Commonly confused: flawed or floored?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “flawed”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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