Meaning & use
flawless
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Meanings
adjectivenot comparableapproving
Having no faults, damage or mistakes at all; perfect in every detail.
Grammar: Used before a noun or after a verb: a flawless diamond, her record was flawless.
Patterns
- a flawless performance
- flawless skin
The pianist gave a flawless performance of the sonata.
Her skin was smooth and flawless.
The engineers delivered a flawless launch on the first attempt.
adjectivenot comparabletechnical
Describing a gem or object that has no visible internal or surface defect.
Grammar: Often used in jewelry: a flawless diamond is graded at the top level.
Patterns
- a flawless diamond
The jeweler held up a flawless emerald to the light.
Only a flawless stone can receive the highest grade.
Common combinations
- flawless performance
- The gymnast's flawless performance earned a perfect score.
- flawless skin
- The commercial showed an actress with flawless skin.
- flawless execution
- The plan depends on flawless execution at every step.
- flawless record
- The driver has a flawless record after twenty years on the road.
- flawless diamond
- A flawless diamond of that size costs a fortune.
Synonyms and how they differ
- perfect
- Perfect is the general word for complete excellence, while flawless specifically stresses the absence of any fault.
- immaculate
- Immaculate usually means spotlessly clean or tidy, which is narrower than flawless.
- impeccable
- Impeccable fits conduct, manners and taste, whereas flawless fits results and objects.
- faultless
- Faultless is more formal and often describes behavior or logic, but it is less visual than flawless.
Opposites
Word family
- flaw noun
- a mistake, weakness or fault
- flawed adjective
- having a flaw or weakness
- flawlessly adverb
- in a perfect way without mistakes
- flawlessness noun
- the state of having no faults
Commonly confused: flawless or fearless?
flawless vs fearless
Fearless means having no fear, and has no link to perfection despite the similar ending.
Practice
Which is the best reason why careful writers avoid "very flawless"?
Choose one answer.
Flawless is an absolute idea: either something has flaws or it does not. It is positive, describes objects and people, and can come before a noun.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “flawless”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.