flaw

SayFLAW/flɔ/UK/flɔː/

Pluralflaws

Verbflaws, flawing, flawed

11 meanings of flaw

Practice

1
nouncountable
A small fault or weak spot, often one you cannot easily see.
Like a small weak spot in something that otherwise looks perfect.
The vase had a tiny flaw near the base.
Every plan has its flaws, even the good ones.
Similardefect, fault, imperfection, weakness, shortcoming
Oppositestrength, merit
Note
2
nouncountable
A crack, gap, or break in something solid.
Like a crack in a wall that lets cold air in.
A flaw in the rock let water seep through.
The metal sheet had several flaws along its edge.
Similarcrack, fissure, fracture, fault, split
Note
3
nouncountable
A mark or fault inside a diamond or other gem.
Like a small bubble trapped inside a clear piece of glass.
The jeweler found a tiny flaw inside the ruby.
Cheaper gems often have flaws you can see.
Similarinclusion, blemish, imperfection
4
nouncountable
A mistake in a contract or document that can make it invalid.
Like a missing signature that makes a form no good.
A small flaw in the contract made it useless in court.
Lawyers checked the deed for flaws before the sale.
Similardefect, error, irregularity, loophole
Note
5
verbtransitive
To make something imperfect by adding a fault.
Like a single scratch that spoils a clean window.
One careless cut can flaw the whole carving.
Rough handling flawed the surface of the table.
Similarmar, spoil, damage, crack, blemish
Oppositeperfect
Note
6
verbintransitive
To crack, break, or become imperfect.
Like a phone screen that suddenly cracks.
The old vase began to flaw along its rim.
The ice flawed as the temperature rose.
Similarcrack, break, fracture, split, chip
7
nouncountable
A sudden, short gust of wind.
Like a quick push of air that comes and goes fast.
A flaw of wind tipped the small boat sideways.
Sudden flaws kept knocking the kite about.
Similargust, squall, blast, puff
Oppositelull
Note
8
nouncountable
A storm that lasts only a short time.
Like a quick splash of rain that ends as fast as it starts.
A sudden flaw soaked the field in minutes.
Quick flaws blew in off the sea all afternoon.
Similarsquall, shower, cloudburst, storm
Oppositecalm, lull
9
nouncountable
A sudden burst of loud noise and confusion.
Like a room that suddenly bursts into shouting.
A flaw of cheering erupted when the team scored.
The quiet street broke into a flaw of noise at midnight.
Similaruproar, tumult, quarrel
Oppositecalm, hush, silence
Note

Less common meanings

10
nounobsolete
A small flake, piece, or splinter broken off something.
Like a chip that breaks off a piece of pottery.
A flaw of stone chipped off when the hammer struck.
Tiny flaws of bark littered the woodcutter's path.
Note
11
nounobsolete
A thin, flat sheet, such as one of ice.
Like a flat sheet of ice as thin as a plate.
A flaw of ice covered the pond by morning.
The children slid flaws of ice across the frozen yard.
Note

Practice

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Origins

Meanings 1–6, 10–11

From Middle English flawe, meaning a flake or splinter. It probably came from an Old Norse word flaga meaning a slab of stone or flake.

Meanings 7–9

From Middle English, from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German words for a gust of wind. It may instead come from a North Germanic word, from Swedish flaga ("gust of wind").