Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

flat spot

British  

noun

  1. engineering a region of poor acceleration over a narrow range of throttle openings, caused by a weak mixture in the carburettor

  2. any narrow region of poor performance in a mechanical device

"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

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.

His one-stop will be opposite to everyone else, he doesn't want to start locking up because he could pick up a flat spot and compromise your performance for that long run.

From BBC • May 4, 2024

Some mountaineers have asked why Mr. Ravichandran was found on his own on the Balcony, a small flat spot near the summit.

From New York Times • Jun. 9, 2023

But in more severe cases, a flat spot can become a permanent part of the tire and it will need to be replaced.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 21, 2022

It’s true that the more time babies spend in one position on their backs, the more likely they are to develop a flat spot.

From Washington Post • Dec. 17, 2021

I scraped a flat spot out on the sand next to a giant black boulder and gathered a pile of twigs and sticks and branches, the smallest I could find.

From "The Honest Truth" by Dan Gemeinhart