drawback

[draw-bak]

noun

1. a hindrance or disadvantage; an undesirable or objectionable feature.

2. Commerce.,  an amount paid back from a charge made.

3. Government.,  a refund of tariff or other tax, as when imported goods are reexported.

drawback

/ ˈdrɔːˌbæk /

noun

1. a disadvantage or hindrance

2. a refund of customs or excise duty paid on goods that are being exported or used in the production of manufactured exports

verb

1. to retreat; move backwards

2. to turn aside from an undertaking

Word History and Origins

Origin of drawback¹

First recorded in 1610–20; noun use of verb phrase draw back

Example Sentences

These and other alternative data sources have their drawbacks—they often only cover a small share of the labor force and using them to estimate the state of the broader job market can be tricky.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

What are the potential benefits and drawbacks to allowing a legal pathway for experimental treatments?

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

What are the potential benefits or drawbacks for consumers as more regional banks pursue a strategy of consolidation?

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

And he acknowledged that “the place has many great advantages, among the foremost, of course, being Climate, and but a single drawback, which, however, is an extremely serious one — that of water shortage.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

One drawback she'd discovered was that her matches weren't always close by – she'd had dates travel from hours away to meet up.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• defect 
• deficiency 
• difficulty 
• disadvantage 
• failing 
• fault 
• flaw 
• hindrance 
• hitch 
• impediment 
• imperfection 
• inconvenience 
• obstacle 
• shortcoming 
• snag 
• stumbling block 
• weakness