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:
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
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
Hyundai said it continues to monitor the issue and will take action if a product defect is identified.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026
People with HAE have a defect in the gene that controls a blood protein called C1 inhibitor.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
One took offense at her inclusion of native lore: “The grand defect of the work is the introduction of idle stories related to her by strangers.”
From "The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science" by Joyce Sidman
Some congenital heart defects occur as part of a wider genetic syndrome that can also produce abnormalities elsewhere in the body.
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
Martin Boyd, from the charity, says that since the Grenfell fire, it has become clear that "the law is still stacked against the leaseholders who have a limited means of redress for building defects".
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
Still, the horrifying stories about mothers trying to console their babies born with microcephaly and other tragic birth defects were heartbreaking.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
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
The firm had begun to evolve in recent years, but slowly: In 2016, it was dealt a shock when a star dealmaker, Scott Barshay, defected to Paul, Weiss.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 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
The following morning, more than 650 Woodhull supporters—including several dozen women who defected from Anthony’s suffrage convention—showed up at Apollo Hall.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
He led Barnet Council from 2019 until 2022 before defecting to Reform in June 2025.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 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
Jaber Rajabi, who served in the Revolutionary Guard and studied with Khamenei in a religious seminary in Qom before defecting in 2016, warned Iran’s Arab neighbors about him before his elevation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 15, 2026
He said: "It would have been obvious to him from the moment of defecting that continued occupation would be unsustainable."
From BBC ● Mar. 30, 2026
Consequently, it followed logically that telling lies and defecting from duty could not be sins.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
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.
