Something that is imperfect has faults and is not exactly as you would like it to be.
[formal]
We live in an imperfect world.
They have a huge selection of perfect and slightly imperfect cookers, fridges andso on.
...a child's imperfect understanding of what is going on between their parents.
Synonyms: flawed, impaired, faulty, broken More Synonyms of imperfect
imperfectlyadverb [usu ADV -ed/adj]
This effect was imperfectly understood by designers at that time.
...in a country whose language she spoke imperfectly.
2. singular noun
In grammar, the imperfect or the imperfect tense of a verb is used to describe continuous situations or repeated actions inthe past. Examples are 'I was reading' and 'they were eating'.
imperfect in British English
(ɪmˈpɜːfɪkt)
adjective
1.
exhibiting or characterized by faults, mistakes, etc; defective
2.
not complete or finished; deficient
3. botany
a.
(of flowers) lacking functional stamens or pistils
b.
(of fungi) not undergoing sexual reproduction
4. grammar
denoting a tense of verbs used most commonly in describing continuous or repeated past actions or events, as for example was walking as opposed to walked
5. law
(of a trust, an obligation, etc) lacking some necessary formality to make effective or binding; incomplete; legally unenforceable
See also executory (sense 1)
6. music
a.
(of a cadence) proceeding to the dominant from the tonic, subdominant, or any chord other than the dominant
b.
of or relating to all intervals other than the fourth, fifth, and octave
Compare perfect (sense 9)
noun
7. grammar
a.
the imperfect tense
b.
a verb in this tense
Derived forms
imperfectly (imˈperfectly)
adverb
imperfectness (imˈperfectness)
noun
imperfect in American English
(ɪmˈpɜrfɪkt)
adjective
1.
not finished or complete; lacking in something
2.
not perfect; having a defect, fault, or error
3. Grammar
in certain inflected languages, designating or of the tense of a verb that indicates a past action or state as uncompleted, continuous, customary, or going on at the same time as another: “was writing” and “used to write” are English formscorresponding to the imperfect tense in such languages
4. Music
designating an interval of a major or minor third or sixth
noun
5.
the imperfect tense
6.
a verb in this tense
Derived forms
imperfectly (imˈperfectly)
adverb
imperfectness (imˈperfectness)
noun
Word origin
ME inperfit < OFr imparfit < L imperfectus: see in-2 & perfect
Examples of 'imperfect' in a sentence
imperfect
But it was an imperfect system.
The Sun (2016)
For broadcasting displays a highly imperfect signalling system between consumers and producers.
Collins, Richard Television - policy and culture (1990)
We live in an imperfect world and there are no political systems which will make a difference.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Capitalism is one of many imperfect systems.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
So we just need to find the skills to get them through this imperfect world.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
One simply had to accept the world as an imperfect place.
Divine, Robert A. (editor) & Breen, T. H & Frederickson, George M & Williams, R. Hal America Past and Present (1995)
The income is as close to guaranteed as it can be in an imperfect world and the dividend is equally assured.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Scale economies, product differentiation and other aspects of imperfect competition will necessarily receive less formal treatment.
Forstner, Helmut, Ballance, Robert Competing in a Global Economy (1990)
In the 18th century ours was a very imperfect system.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Moreover, this book reminds me that we live in an imperfect world.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
It is impossible to have a portfolio where you are not investing in companies with ethical issues because it is an imperfect world.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Regardless of how well designed this new kit is, it will always be dependent on imperfect humans.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
All democratic systems are imperfect.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
As in all walks of life, there are a number of unscrupulous companies willing to take advantage of an imperfect system.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
For punters it opened the prospect of the football results being decided on the same basis as their own imperfect selections - human judgment.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Behind any poem, no matter how perfect, is an imperfect human being.
The Times Literary Supplement (2010)
The report said that young people were being'left to flounder in an imperfect system '.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
It's not a perfect system but it's the best imperfect system we have.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Human beings are imperfect.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
And as a result, we still have only an imperfect, incomplete understanding of the answers to the problem of pain.
Christianity Today (2000)
In other languages
imperfect
British English: imperfect ADJECTIVE
Something that is imperfect has faults.
We live in an imperfect world.
American English: imperfect
Brazilian Portuguese: imperfeito
Chinese: 不完美的
European Spanish: imperfecto
French: imparfait
German: mangelhaft
Italian: imperfetto
Japanese: 不完全な
Korean: 불완전한
European Portuguese: imperfeito
Latin American Spanish: imperfecto
All related terms of 'imperfect'
imperfect rhyme
Prosody See slant rhyme
imperfect flower
a unisexual flower with only stamens or only pistils
imperfect fungus
any of a subdivision (Deuteromycotina) of fungi for which no sexual stage of reproduction is known
imperfect market
a market where buyers or sellers can influence the market, and there is a lack of product information
imperfect competition
the market situation that exists when one or more of the necessary conditions for perfect competition do not hold
imperfect contrition
detestation of past sins and a resolve to make amends , from hope of heaven
slant rhyme
rhyme in which there is close but not exact correspondence of sounds ( Ex .: lid , lad ; wait , made )
Chinese translation of 'imperfect'
imperfect
(ɪmˈpəːfɪkt)
adj
[goods]有瑕疵的 (yǒu xiácī de)
[system, understanding, world]不完美的 (bù wánměi de)
n
(also imperfect tense)
the imperfect未完成时(時)态(態) (wèi wánchéng shítài)
in the imperfect用未完成时(時)态(態) (yòng wèi wánchéng shítài)
(adjective)
Definition
having faults or errors
We live in an imperfect world.
Synonyms
flawed
the unique beauty of a flawed object
impaired
The blast left him with permanently impaired vision.
faulty
They will repair the faulty equipment.
broken
a broken guitar and a rusty snare drum
limited
damaged
partial
Their policy only met with partial success.
unfinished
Jane Austen's unfinished novel
incomplete
Some offices had incomplete information on spending.
defective
Retailers can return defective merchandise.
patchy
immature
The birds were in immature plumage.
deficient
deficient landing systems
rudimentary
a rudimentary backbone called a notochord
sketchy
Details of what actually happened are still sketchy.