flaw

¹

[flaw]

noun

1. a feature that mars the perfection of something; defect; fault.

   beauty without flaw; the flaws in our plan.

   Synonyms: spot, blot, imperfection

2. a defect impairing legal soundness or validity.

3. a crack, break, breach, or rent.

   Synonyms: rift, fissure

verb (used with object)

1. to produce a flaw in.

verb (used without object)

1. to contract a flaw; become cracked or defective.

flaw

²

[flaw]

noun

1. Also called windflaw. a sudden, usually brief windstorm or gust of wind.

2. a short spell of rough weather.

3. Obsolete.,  a burst of feeling, fury, etc.

flaw

¹

/ flɔː /

noun

1. an imperfection, defect, or blemish

2. a crack, breach, or rift

3. law an invalidating fault or defect in a document or proceeding

verb

1. to make or become blemished, defective, or imperfect

flaw

²

/ flɔː /

noun

1. 1. a sudden short gust of wind; squall

   2. a spell of bad, esp windy, weather

2. obsolete,  an outburst of strong feeling

Other Word Forms

• flawlessness noun
• flawlessly adverb
• flawless adjective
• flawy adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of flaw¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English flage, flaw(e), perhaps from Old Norse flaga “sliver, flake”

Origin of flaw²

First recorded in 1475–85, flaw is from the Old Norse word flaga attack, squall

Word History and Origins

Origin of flaw¹

C14: probably from Old Norse flaga stone slab; related to Swedish flaga chip, flake, flaw

Origin of flaw²

C16: of Scandinavian origin; related to Norwegian flaga squall, gust, Middle Dutch vlāghe

Synonym Study

See defect.

Example Sentences

The Labour MP said the process had been "flawed and farcical from the beginning to the end".

Read more on BBC

The map had a major flaw: it was printed the wrong way round, showing the Mediterranean to the East.

Read more on Science Daily

With recent leaps in AI, could our streak of flawed family photos come to an end?

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"It's not the time to pick out individuals or flaws in how we attacked or how we defended," Hook told BBC Radio Wales.

Read more on BBC

As they discuss the niceties and textual flaws of the classics they love as much as life itself, Stoppard’s playfulness is tinged with rue; the older man cannot prevent the younger’s heartbreak to come.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• blemish 
• bug 
• defect 
• failing 
• fault 
• foible 
• glitch 
• pitfall 
• weakness