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Word

defect

noun C1
/ˈdiːfɛkt/

Meanings

noun

a fault or imperfection in something that makes it not work properly or lowers its quality

defect: a fault or imperfection in something that makes it not work properly or lowers its quality
noun

a physical or structural flaw in a material or component, especially found during inspection or testing

defect: a physical or structural flaw in a material or component, especially found during inspection or testing
noun

a weakness or shortcoming in a plan, argument, or system

defect: a weakness or shortcoming in a plan, argument, or system

Definition

A defect is a fault or imperfection that makes something not work as well as it should.

A defect is a problem in the design, materials, or manufacturing of something that reduces its quality, safety, or performance. It can be small, like a scratch, or serious, like a part that fails under stress. People often talk about defects in products, systems, or processes when checking standards and reliability.

Examples

  • The technician traced the defect to a loose connection inside the device.
  • I noticed a defect in the stitching, so I returned the jacket the same day.
  • Her report highlighted a serious defect in the emergency-response plan.
  • They rejected the entire batch because a single defect kept appearing during testing.

Common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse the noun defect (/ˈdiːfɛkt/) with the verb defect (/dɪˈfɛkt/), which has a different stress pattern and meaning.

More at C1 level

More nouns