defectnoun [ C ]
uk/ˈdiː.fekt/us/ˈdiː.fekt/C1 a fault or problem in something or someone that spoils that thing or person or causes it, him, or her not to work correctly:
All the company's aircraft have been grounded, after a defect in the engine cooling system was discovered.
There are so many defects in our education system.
It's a character defect in her that she can't ever admit she's wrong.
a physical condition in which something is wrong with a part of someone's body:
She suffers from a heart/sight/speech defect.
The drug has been shown to cause birth defects.
Cystic fibrosis is caused by a genetic defect.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Faults and mistakes
- a blot on sb's character idiom
- aberration
- Achilles heel
- adrift
- black mark
- chink
- clinker
- errata
- erratum
- error
- failing
- false alarm
- false move
- irregularity
- lapse
- loophole
- misprint
- misspell
- mistake
- solecism
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Physical irregularities
defectverb [ I ]
uk/dɪˈfekt/us/dɪˈfekt/to leave a country, political party, etc., especially in order to join an opposing one:
When the national hockey team visited the US, half the players defected.
The British spy, Kim Philby, defected to the Soviet Union/defected from Britain in 1963.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Running away and escaping
- abscond
- back away
- back off
- bail out
- be at large idiom
- be on the run idiom
- flee
- fugitive
- gaolbreak
- getaway
- go/be run to ground idiom
- heel
- leg
- loose
- scram
- shake sb/sth off
- shoot through
- skedaddle
- slip
- throw
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defector
noun [ C ] uk/dɪˈfek.tər/us/dɪˈfek.tɚ/
She was one of many Communist Party defectors.