noun
-
the condition or quality of being imperfect
-
a fault or defect
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of imperfection
1350–1400; Middle English imperfeccio ( u ) n < Late Latin imperfectiōn- (stem of imperfectiō ) incompleteness. See im- 2, perfection
Explanation
An imperfection is a detail that makes something (or someone) less than perfect. A tiny crack in your otherwise flawless Ming vase might be its only imperfection. In addition to a blemish or defect, imperfection can also mean "the general state of not being perfect." For example, you could say, "Yeah, my dog is funny-looking, but her imperfection is part of what I love about her." The Latin imperfectus is at the root of imperfection, meaning "unfinished, incomplete, or immature," a combination of im-, "not," and perfectus, "finished or complete."
Vocabulary lists containing imperfection
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocabulary for May 20–May 26, 2023
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Birthmark" by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"To Helen Keller" and "Marked/Dusting"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Instead, the star believes diversity and imperfection, particularly when it comes to food, is important - we "should celebrate the tomato or the onion that comes out of the ground not looking perfect".
From BBC ● May 9, 2026
But he seemed unwilling to transform that imperfection into a constitutional defect in which counsel, in his view, still had “every opportunity” to make the point and did not.
From Slate ● Apr. 10, 2026
At such a moment, it’s good to reflect on the power of human creativity and the beauty of imperfection, and how the music we connect to helps bind us together.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 25, 2025
Cinema is not a video game populated by avatars; it is a medium of imagination grounded in human imperfection.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2025
Closer, in fact, to him than to his own father, for Macon had no imperfection and age seemed to strengthen him.
From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison
Do we accept humans, or humanlike creations, as they are, for all of their imperfections?
From Salon ● Jun. 28, 2026
They’re more quirky, an actual person works here, and the imperfections are what makes it amazing.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026
Remarkably, those values remain identical regardless of the material being used or any imperfections it contains.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 19, 2026
The chips with slight imperfections still function well.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 18, 2026
For Christians, its imperfections go back to the Fall.
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
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.
