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Synonyms

faulty

American  
[fawl-tee] / ˈfɔl ti /

adjective

faultier, faultiest

  1. having faults or defects; imperfect.

faulty British  
/ ˈfɔːltɪ /

adjective

  1. defective or imperfect

  2. archaic culpable

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • faultily adverb
  • faultiness noun
  • nonfaulty adjective
  • unfaulty adjective

Etymology

Origin of faulty

First recorded in 1300–50, faulty is from the Middle English word fauty. See fault, -y 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

If eligibility for schemes is based on faulty or outdated data, the number of beneficiaries can be misjudged, distorting delivery.

From BBC

It questioned whether old or faulty target analysis could have led to the school building being hit.

From BBC

It again ties back to this faulty idea that there isn’t much return on investment for AI compute.

From Barron's

Authorities first learned that the tests were faulty last summer, according to the letter state officials sent Sonoma County.

From Los Angeles Times

What will happen to faulty or degraded EV batteries?

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.