imperfect

[im-pur-fikt]

adjective

1. relating to or characterized by defects or weaknesses.

   With my imperfect vision I couldn’t make out the street name.

   Synonyms: faulty, defective

2. not perfect; lacking completeness.

   Human knowledge on all subjects is imperfect.

   Synonyms: immature, underdeveloped, incomplete
   Antonyms: complete

3. Grammar.,  designating a verb aspect, tense, or other verb category used to express an action or state still in process at some point of reference in time, especially in the past.

4. Law.,  being without legal effect or support; unenforceable.

5. Botany.,  (of a flower) diclinous.

6. Music.,  of or relating to the interval of a major or minor third or sixth.

noun

Grammar.

1. 1. in some languages, a verb aspect, tense, or other verb category used to express an action or state still in process at some point of reference in time, especially in the past.

   2. an instance or form of a specific verb in such an aspect, tense, or construction, such as Latin portābam “I was carrying.”

imperfect

/ ɪmˈpɜːfɪkt /

adjective

1. exhibiting or characterized by faults, mistakes, etc; defective

2. not complete or finished; deficient

3. botany

   1. (of flowers) lacking functional stamens or pistils

   2. (of fungi) not undergoing sexual reproduction

4. grammar denoting a tense of verbs used most commonly in describing continuous or repeated past actions or events, as for example was walking as opposed to walked

5. law (of a trust, an obligation, etc) lacking some necessary formality to make effective or binding; incomplete; legally unenforceable See also executory

6. music

   1. (of a cadence) proceeding to the dominant from the tonic, subdominant, or any chord other than the dominant

   2. of or relating to all intervals other than the fourth, fifth, and octave Compare perfect

noun

1. grammar

   1. the imperfect tense

   2. a verb in this tense

Other Word Forms

• imperfectly adverb
• imperfectness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of imperfect¹

First recorded in 1300–50; from Latin imperfectus “unfinished”; equivalent to im- ² + perfect; replacing Middle English imparfit, from Middle French imparfait, from Latin, as above

Example Sentences

The fact is, history is populated by humans, and humans are deeply flawed and imperfect, and no amount of spatial teleportation can correct that.

Read more on Literature

Rounding is an obvious but imperfect—and not necessarily legal—solution to a lack of pennies, according to retailers.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

They were constrained, however, by a boss with an imperfect understanding of the nuances of his own business, and whose judgment was clouded by his insecurity.

Read more on Literature

You were hit by an imperfect storm of several unexpected bills and I admire your determination to reduce this balance as quickly as possible.

Read more on MarketWatch

“In that case, this release—while imperfect—suggests the labor market has at least stabilized in recent months, but still lacks real momentum,” writes Thomas Ryan, North America economist for Capital Economics.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• immature 
• incomplete 
• inexact 
• rudimentary 
• sketchy 
• warped