faulty
Americanadjective
adjective
-
defective or imperfect
-
archaic culpable
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of faulty
First recorded in 1300–50, faulty is from the Middle English word fauty. See fault, -y 1
Explanation
Something that's faulty is full of mistakes — it's wrong. Faulty logic often leads people to make terrible decisions, since they're based on an incorrect way of thinking. A faulty explanation is based on errors, and a faulty machine doesn't work the way it's supposed to. If your chocolate chip cookies keep coming out burned, your stove may be faulty — or you may be baking them too long. If your car's brakes are faulty, it won't stop as quickly as it should, and if your furnace is faulty, it will be a long, cold winter. Faulty and fail share a common Latin root word.
Vocabulary lists containing faulty
Fake It 'Til You Make It: Synonyms for "False"
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Drama
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Way Off: Synonyms for "Wrong"
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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.
Whether the plumber directly caused the problem, failed to identify an underlying issue, or repaired one faulty component only for another to reveal itself, the result is the same: the cistern does not function properly.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 10, 2026
He blames the utilities for high consumer bills and causing deadly wildfires with their faulty utility equipment.
From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2026
Oil and gas companies should tighten valves, close hatches, replace worn and faulty equipment, ensure equipment is well maintained, end routine flaring, and track emissions to know how much gas is escaping from where.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
The gas was released on maternity units when cannisters were connected, birthing mothers exhaled, and when the equipment was faulty, according to papers filed at the High Court.
From BBC • May 18, 2026
We perhaps depend too often on the faulty honor of silence, use it too liberally and for gaining advantage.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
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.
