Flawed means having a fault, defect, or imperfection that makes something less than ideal. A flawed diamond might have a tiny crack inside it that reduces its value. A flawed plan might work most of the time but fail under certain conditions. When scientists find a flaw in their reasoning, they've discovered a mistake in their thinking.

The word often describes something that's still good or functional overall but has specific weaknesses. A character in a story might be brave and kind yet deeply flawed because of their quick temper. A flawed argument might sound convincing at first but fall apart when you examine it closely.

Flawed is less harsh than words like “broken” or “ruined.” A flawed vase might have a small chip but still hold flowers beautifully. Understanding that something is flawed helps us see both its strengths and its limitations clearly. When your teacher points out flaws in your essay, she's identifying specific problems you can fix, not saying the whole thing is worthless.

Interestingly, flaws can sometimes make things more interesting or human. Perfectly flawless people don't exist, and stories about characters without any flaws tend to be boring because there's no room for growth or change.