as in defective
having a fault
an imperfect representation of the circumstances surrounding Paul Revere's famous ride
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Recent Examples of imperfect
Cast entirely in natural beeswax, the candlestick has a tactile, slightly imperfect quality that only real material can offer.
—
Hannah Coates, Vogue, 4 Jan. 2026
That the novel is imperfect, often bewildering, and sometimes a mess is not the point.
—Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 1 Jan. 2026
Take the message of Bridget Jones’s Diary with you into the New Year, because writing those resolutions is easy; following through with them for 365 days is imperfect work.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 30 Dec. 2025
As a result, judges may continue to delay or dismiss cases, but those solutions are imperfect, experts say.
—Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for imperfect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imperfect
Adjective
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The team would never have spotted them just by analyzing a defective bottle.—
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Building on earlier biochemical discoveries, researchers administered a CoQ10 precursor that bypasses the defective step in the energy-production pathway.—
Adjective
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Iran is facing its worst drought in decades, raising fears of evacuations in Tehran while threatening the regime’s stability and nuclear ambitions, according to a leading environmental expert.—
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Keeping bad things out of my body.—
Adjective
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The London punk rebels seized the revolutionary spirit of 1977 with their raw manifesto The Clash, then refined their sound with the flawed Give ‘Em Enough Rope.—
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The foundation of this 2025 team is flawed, and McDaniel should shoulder just as much blame for this team’s issues, which pop up week to week, especially during the losses.—
Cite this Entry
“Imperfect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imperfect. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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