faulty

[ fawl-tee ]

adjective

, fault·i·er, fault·i·est.

1. having faults or defects; imperfect.

faulty

/ ˈfɔːltɪ /

adjective

1. defective or imperfect
2. archaic.
   culpable

Derived Forms

• ˈfaultily, adverb
• ˈfaultiness, noun

Other Words From

• faulti·ly adverb
• faulti·ness noun
• non·faulty adjective
• un·faulty adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of faulty¹

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

Example Sentences

While they debated, public health labs with the faulty kits couldn’t process samples, and the FDA still hadn’t authorized any tests made by commercial labs.

From ProPublica

When companies build technology around faulty business practices, the platform fails and vise-versa.

From Washington Blade

A 404 can be generated when a user types in a faulty address, and this may result in an error being generated on their browser that may look bad, but you can definitely address the situation.

From Search Engine Watch

In the latest Environment Report, MacKenzie Elmer dives into the state’s water market and one plan in particular by a utility that serves Imperial Beach and Coronado, among others, that a state watchdog recently said hinged on faulty forecasting.

From Voice of San Diego

Those include fears over the United States Post Office’s ability to keep pace with such a huge influx of mail and the possibility of mail-in ballots getting thrown out for having an allegedly faulty signature or arriving late.

From Science News

Identifying and excising faulty accounts takes up more and more of their time as the country splinters again.

From The Daily Beast

A senior Labour Party MP scoffed at what he suggested was faulty logic.

From The Daily Beast

Hongkongers aren't asking to secede from China, but Beijing's faulty calculus is only alienating the city.

From The Daily Beast

But the fact remains that the accident would never have occurred in the first place were it not for the faulty switch.

From The Daily Beast

The view is faulty, both in it engineering claims and its economic conclusions.

From The Daily Beast

The myth of "Boreas and Orithyia," though faulty perhaps in technique, is good in conception and arrangement.

From Project Gutenberg

If the ice or snow has accumulated by reason of a defective roof, then the landlord is liable because of its faulty construction.

From Project Gutenberg

If it cannot be accounted for by the causes at work in the story, the construction is faulty.

From Project Gutenberg

At this point, we may see how faulty, and yet how constantly improving, has been the administration of the criminal law.

From Project Gutenberg

The arches near the tower have been partly crushed owing to the shifting of the tower piers caused by faulty foundations.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• broken
• cracked
• damaged
• defective
• deficient
• erroneous
• false
• flawed
• imprecise
• inaccurate
• inadequate
• incomplete
• insufficient
• invalid
• leaky
• malfunctioning
• unreliable