The flaw in something is its shortcoming

The flaw in something is its shortcoming — your car's only shortcoming might be its lack of a sunroof, for example.

Use the noun shortcoming when you talk about the way something — or someone — comes up short. Your boss's shortcoming could be her high expectations, and your job's shortcomings might be having to deal with your boss and not earning much money. The root of shortcoming is the phrase "to come short," which was used starting in the 1600's to mean "to be inadequate."

a failing or deficiency

Synonyms:

defect

Type of:

disadvantage

the quality of having an inferior or less favorable position

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WORD FAMILY

shortcomings

the "shortcoming" family

USAGE EXAMPLES

• Before he became partners with Barack Obama in responding to Hurricane Sandy, he gave a very astringent critique of the president'sshortcomings.
  Slate Jan 8, 2014
• In private, U.S. officials have been more direct on the banking union'sshortcomings.
  Reuters Jan 8, 2014
• They used it as an excuse for their own shortcomings.
  Time Jul 17, 2012
• The shortcomings of the past governments' policies are not the Greek people's fault.
  Time Jul 17, 2012

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