drawback
Americannoun
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drawbacks
plural
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a hindrance or disadvantage; an undesirable or objectionable feature.
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Commerce. an amount paid back from a charge made.
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Government. a refund of tariff or other tax, as when imported goods are reexported.
noun
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a disadvantage or hindrance
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a refund of customs or excise duty paid on goods that are being exported or used in the production of manufactured exports
verb
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to retreat; move backwards
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to turn aside from an undertaking
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of drawback
First recorded in 1610–20; noun use of verb phrase draw back
Explanation
A drawback is a disadvantage or slight problem. Some drawbacks to adopting a puppy can include lost sleep, having your sneakers gnawed on, and spending too much money at the vet. When something is mainly positive but not perfect, those imperfections are drawbacks. You might love your new job working at the library on weekends, despite the drawback of needing to get up early on Saturday mornings. And even though the drawbacks to getting that adorable puppy are very real, you'll probably be glad you did it. This noun, which was coined in the 18th century, comes from the sense of drawing (or holding) back success.
Vocabulary lists containing drawback
Week 5: New Technology
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"A Place to Call Home" by Scott Bittle and Jonathan Rochkind
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Quiet Power
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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:
The only drawback with an electric car is you need to charge it at home, or fast-charge it when you’re out on the road.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
The slow action of bistrifluron may therefore be useful rather than simply a drawback.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026
The price is a major drawback, but his combination of reliability, captaincy potential and fixture quality makes him an excellent pick.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
There's only one drawback: "long separations from the family during assignments," he says from Kosovo, where he is helping install a wind farm.
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
The ceiling was low, but that was scarcely a drawback for a dwarf.
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
This phenomenon is known as overdiagnosis, and it has long been considered one of the potential drawbacks of screening.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 26, 2026
This is needed, because “American Hagwon” has the drawbacks of the traditional novel along with its foursquare virtues.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026
Tracy also doesn’t have the drawbacks of Blythe and the Inland Empire desert — the weather never gets too hot, and there is reliable access to water.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026
But the use of air-conditioners isn't without its drawbacks.
From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2026
There are drawbacks, but overall lockdowns are a pleasure.
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
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.
