faulty
Americanadjective
adjective
-
defective or imperfect
-
archaic culpable
Other Word Forms
- faultily adverb
- faultiness noun
- nonfaulty adjective
- unfaulty adjective
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.
Jax Newman lives in St James Walk in Cheltenham, a block of flats which has had numerous issues with faulty alarms.
From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026
It again ties back to this faulty idea that there isn’t much return on investment for AI compute.
From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026
In 2024, nearly 4,000 vehicles were recalled for a faulty accelerator pedal that could become dislodged and stuck.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026
What will happen to faulty or degraded EV batteries?
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026
Most sickness and disease today is the result of faulty diet and wrong eating.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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.
