defect
Americannoun
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defects
plural
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a shortcoming, fault, or imperfection: a defect in a machine.
a defect in an argument;
a defect in a machine.
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lack or want, especially of something essential to perfection or completeness; deficiency: a defect of action.
a defect of common sense
a defect of action.
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Also called lattice defect. Also called crystal defect,. Crystallography. a discontinuity in the lattice of a crystal caused by missing or extra atoms or ions, or by dislocations.
verb (used without object)
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defects,
present (3rd person singular)
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defected,
past participle, past
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defecting
present participle
noun
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a lack of something necessary for completeness or perfection; shortcoming; deficiency
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an imperfection, failing, or blemish
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crystallog a local deviation from regularity in the crystal lattice of a solid See also point defect dislocation
verb
Synonym Usage
Defect, blemish, flaw refer to faults that detract from perfection. Defect is the general word for any kind of shortcoming or imperfection, whether literal or figurative: a defect in eyesight, in a plan. A blemish is usually a defect on a surface, which mars the appearance: a blemish on her cheek. Flaw is applied to a defect in quality, caused by imperfect structure (as in a diamond) or brought about during manufacture (as in texture of cloth, in clearness of glass, etc.).
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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defectibilitynoun
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defectornoun
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predefectnoun
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redefectverb (used without object)
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defectibleadjective
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defectlessadjective
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nondefectingadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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defectsimple
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defectssimple
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have defectedperfect
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has defectedperfect
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am defectingprogressive
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are defectingprogressive
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is defectingprogressive
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have been defectingperfect progressive
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has been defectingperfect progressive
Past
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defectedsimple
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had defectedperfect
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was defectingprogressive
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were defectingprogressive
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had been defectingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of defect
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin dēfectus “failure, weakness,” equivalent to dēfec-, variant stem of dēficere “to run short, fail, weaken” ( see deficient) + -tus suffix of verb action
Explanation
A flaw in something is a defect. At certain stores you can buy clothes with slight defects. You have to be careful because the defect can be minor, like a missing button, or major, like sleeves of uneven lengths. In a person, a defect is an imperfection, which can manifest itself mentally or physically. If you are diagnosed with a heart defect, you will have to seek the advice of specialists. A hearing defect might leave your dad deaf in one ear. If you are becoming forgetful, you can joke that you are developing a mental defect, but if it continues, you'll probably want to have your head examined.
Vocabulary lists containing defect
Tuesdays with Morrie
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The Glass Menagerie
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Thomas Jefferson's First Inaugural Address (1801)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
When a child has a congenital heart defect without other complications, the condition is classified as non-syndromic congenital heart disease.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026
But curved cockpit windows are challenging to make – the slightest distortion or defect is clearly visible to the pilot.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026
In these cases, a heart defect is part of a broader genetic syndrome that can also affect other parts of the body.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026
Fifa claims Uefa's argument "suffers from a fundamental defect" and "legal deficiencies".
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
Her husband dead, three children sold, the fourth defective, and her having to thank God for the defect.
From "Kindred" by Octavia Butler
The current study focuses on syndromic heart defects.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026
They began by studying genetic data from several thousand patients with congenital heart defects.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026
He also acknowledged that if the U.S. slows AI development alongside China, and the latter defects, it could lead to China’s geopolitical dominance.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 14, 2026
One of the biggest issues for homebuyers, says ombudsman Cates, is not the defects they find, but the way they feel treated by developers when they complain.
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
It was as if the defects of the family and none of the virtues had been concentrated in both.
From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Kendall had been a key backer of Democrat Andrew Jackson in the 1828 election, having defected from Henry Clay’s Whigs.
From Slate ● Sep. 4, 2026
Arabs within the SDF's ranks also defected en masse after Sharaa's army took control of two previously Kurdish-held provinces, Raqa and Deir Ezzor, leaving them at half their strength, according to Syria specialist Fabrice Balanche.
From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026
Few people understood this effort better than Ladislav Bittman, a senior propagandist in the Czechoslovakian intelligence service who defected to the West in 1968.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
"Knowing wouldn't have meant anything to me back then. So I paid more attention to the lyrics," says the 25-year-old who defected in 2019.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
My mother embraced Edward after he defected from Dauntless.
From "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth
He led Barnet Council from 2019 until 2022 before defecting to Reform in June 2025.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026
Some diners have been defecting to competitors like Chick-fil-A, which are known for heavily staffed, attentive service.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
It started with Navratilova, a record nine-time singles champion at the All England Club, who remained an inspiration to those back in her homeland after defecting from communist Czechoslovakia to the United States in 1975.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
At the dinner, I tried to get a sense if there were more women like Smith—sweet, older Christian Alabamians—snapping and defecting to the left.
From Slate ● May 4, 2026
He said that any defecting official betrayed both himself and his position as a leader and examplefor other Muslims.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
