defective
1 of 2adjective
de·fec·tive di-ˈfek-tiv 
1
a
: having a defect or flaw : imperfect in form, structure, or function
replaced a defective light switch
products manufactured with defective materials
defective intestinal absorption
a defective gene
b
dated, now offensive : having a physical or mental impairment
2
grammar : lacking one or more of the usual forms of inflection (see inflection sense 2)
Must is a defective verb.
defectively adverb
defectiveness noun
defective
2 of 2noun
1
: something that is imperfect in form, structure, or function
… if we examine 18 items off the production line, we may be interested in the number of defectives we observe in the sample of size 18.
Lloyd Jaisingh
Lloyd Jaisingh2
dated, now offensive : a person having a physical or mental impairment
Synonyms
Adjective
- amiss
- bad
- faulty
- flawed
- imperfect
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective This computer is defective. I want my money back. The disease is caused by a defective gene.
Recent Examples on the Web Detroit Free Press, 9 Sep. 2022 The lawsuit also names the helmet-maker Giro Sport Design Inc., arguing that the helmet Molly wore was defective. Will Taylor, Outside Online, 19 Aug. 2022 Guerrero concluded, however, that the notice denying the claim sent by MTS was defective. Greg Moran, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Aug. 2022 General Motors has recalled more than 141,000 Bolts since last August and halted manufacturing of the electric vehicles for several months after some defective batteries caught fire. Christine Mui, Fortune, 6 July 2022 Chevrolet restarted production in April at Orion after idling it for months so that GM could work with its battery maker LG Energy Solution to focus on finding a fix for defective batteries in all 2017-22 model year EVs and EUVs. Jamie L. Lareau, Detroit Free Press, 1 June 2022 Auto safety experts have often criticized the highway safety agency for doing a poor job of investigating deadly auto defects, such as a faulty ignition switch used by G.M. and defective airbags made by Takata. New York Times, 16 Aug. 2021 Adams tried to get more than $13,000 from the $125 million Takata Individual Restitution Fund, which the airbag maker was forced to set up to compensate people injured by their defective airbags. Howard Koplowitz | Hkoplowitz@al.com, al, 4 Aug. 2021 The majority of the defective ballots were Democratic ones. Jamie Goldberg, oregonlive, 17 May 2022 Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2021 See More
Adjective
The orders denied that the petitions were defective. Detroit Free Press, 9 Sep. 2022 The lawsuit also names the helmet-maker Giro Sport Design Inc., arguing that the helmet Molly wore was defective. Will Taylor, Outside Online, 19 Aug. 2022 Guerrero concluded, however, that the notice denying the claim sent by MTS was defective. Greg Moran, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Aug. 2022 General Motors has recalled more than 141,000 Bolts since last August and halted manufacturing of the electric vehicles for several months after some defective batteries caught fire. Christine Mui, Fortune, 6 July 2022 Chevrolet restarted production in April at Orion after idling it for months so that GM could work with its battery maker LG Energy Solution to focus on finding a fix for defective batteries in all 2017-22 model year EVs and EUVs. Jamie L. Lareau, Detroit Free Press, 1 June 2022 Auto safety experts have often criticized the highway safety agency for doing a poor job of investigating deadly auto defects, such as a faulty ignition switch used by G.M. and defective airbags made by Takata. New York Times, 16 Aug. 2021 Adams tried to get more than $13,000 from the $125 million Takata Individual Restitution Fund, which the airbag maker was forced to set up to compensate people injured by their defective airbags. Howard Koplowitz | Hkoplowitz@al.com, al, 4 Aug. 2021 The majority of the defective ballots were Democratic ones. Jamie Goldberg, oregonlive, 17 May 2022 Noun
After two replacement phones (one defective, the next meant for another customer and locked) and 15 different Apple customer service representatives, Holland, a publicist in Wilmington, N.C., searched online for Jobs’s email address. Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English defectif, defectyve "lacking, faulty, of poor quality," borrowed from Anglo-French defectif, borrowed from Late Latin dēfectīvus "lacking an inflectional form, imperfect, faulty," from Latin dēfectus, past participle of dēficere "to be lacking, run short, fail" + -īvus -ive — more at deficient
Noun
derivative of defective entry 1
First Known Use
Adjective
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Noun
1562, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
defective
adjective
de·fec·tive di-ˈfek-tiv
: having a defect or flaw
The car's brakes were defective.
Medical Definition
defective
adjective
de·fec·tive di-ˈfek-tiv
: falling below the norm in structure or function
a defective heart valve
defectively
adverb
as in imperfectly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- imperfectly
- inadequately
- faultily
- insufficiently
- incompletely
- deficiently
- badly
- atrociously
- amiss
- fallibly
- execrably
- wretchedly
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- perfectly
- impeccably
- immaculately
- flawlessly
- faultlessly
- ideally
- finely
- excellently
- superbly
- marvelously
- superiorly
- superlatively
- terrifically
- pat
- greatly
- exceptionally
- specially
- grandly
- fabulously
- fancily