flaw

1
[ flaw ]
See synonyms for: flawflawedflawingflaws on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a feature that mars the perfection of something; defect; fault: beauty without flaw; the flaws in our plan.

  2. a defect impairing legal soundness or validity.

  1. a crack, break, breach, or rent.

verb (used with object)
  1. to produce a flaw in.

verb (used without object)
  1. to contract a flaw; become cracked or defective.

Origin of flaw

1
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English flage, flaw(e), perhaps from Old Norse flaga “sliver, flake”

synonym study For flaw

1. See defect.

Other words for flaw

Other words from flaw

  • flawless, adjective

Words Nearby flaw

Other definitions for flaw (2 of 2)

flaw2
[ flaw ]

noun
  1. Also called windflaw. a sudden, usually brief windstorm or gust of wind.

  2. a short spell of rough weather.

  1. Obsolete. a burst of feeling, fury, etc.

Origin of flaw

2
First recorded in 1475–85, flaw is from the Old Norse word flaga attack, squall

Other words from flaw

  • flawy, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use flaw in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for flaw (1 of 2)

flaw1

/ (flɔː) /


noun
  1. an imperfection, defect, or blemish

  2. a crack, breach, or rift

  1. law an invalidating fault or defect in a document or proceeding

verb
  1. to make or become blemished, defective, or imperfect

Origin of flaw

1
C14: probably from Old Norse flaga stone slab; related to Swedish flaga chip, flake, flaw

Derived forms of flaw

  • flawless, adjective
  • flawlessly, adverb
  • flawlessness, noun

British Dictionary definitions for flaw (2 of 2)

flaw2

/ (flɔː) /


noun
    • a sudden short gust of wind; squall

    • a spell of bad, esp windy, weather

  1. obsolete an outburst of strong feeling

Origin of flaw

2
C16: of Scandinavian origin; related to Norwegian flaga squall, gust, Middle Dutch vlāghe

Derived forms of flaw

  • flawy, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012