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

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

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 real drivers are the same structural flaws that have plagued ObamaCare since 2014 and rising health care costs,” Paragon notes.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

While she agreed the fines policy was "very flawed", Hayes said she did not agree 10 days of permitted absence a year was the right way to address concerns.

Read more on BBC

Numerous rights groups lobbied the 11-nation bloc to hold back monitors, lest they lend legitimacy to a vote which they say is critically flawed.

Read more on Barron's

The Home Affairs Committee said "flawed contracts" and "incompetent delivery" had resulted in the Home Office relying on hotels as "go-to solutions" rather than temporary stop-gaps, with expected costs tripling to more than £15bn.

Read more on BBC

The complaint, filed in Connecticut, also claims UBS "gained control over the investigation into its own alleged misconduct" and conducted a "fundamentally flawed" investigation in order to pin the blame on Hayes.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

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