imperfect - Dictionary Definition : Vocabulary.com

Something imperfect has flaws, errors, or problems. Imperfect is the opposite of perfect.

Imperfect comes from the Latin word imperfectus, meaning “incomplete." If you have an imperfect knowledge of French, you might be able to order a coffee in Paris but not chat with the waiter. Something imperfect is unfinished or damaged in some way. Scuffed silver shoes are imperfect. A great baseball player who makes one error is imperfect. Getting 100 on a test is perfect, but getting a 98 is imperfect. If it’s lacking something, it’s imperfect.

PRIMARY MEANINGS OF: imperfect

1	adj	not perfect; defective or inadequate
2	n	a tense of verbs used in describing action that is on-going

FULL DEFINITIONS OF: imperfect

1

adj not perfect; defective or inadequate

“had only an imperfect understanding of his responsibilities”

“imperfect mortals”

“drainage here is imperfect”

Synonyms: blemished
marred by imperfections; broken
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split; blemished, flawed
having a blemish or flaw; broken
imperfectly spoken or written; corrupt, corrupted
containing errors or alterations; defective, faulty
having a defect; imperfectible
capable of being made imperfect; irregular
falling below the manufacturer's standard

Antonyms:: perfect
being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish; unblemished, unmarred, unmutilated
free from physical or moral spots or stains; unbroken
not broken; whole and intact; in one piece; exact
marked by strict and particular and complete accordance with fact; clean
(of a record) having no marks of discredit or offense; clear
free from flaw or blemish or impurity; cold
marked by errorless familiarity; complete, consummate
perfect and complete in every respect; having all necessary qualities; down, down pat, mastered
understood perfectly; errorless
free from error; faultless, immaculate, impeccable
without fault or error; flawless, unflawed
without a flaw; ideal
conforming to an ultimate standard of perfection or excellence; embodying an ideal; idealised, idealized
exalted to an ideal perfection or excellence; idyllic
excellent and delightful in all respects; mint
as if new; perfectible
capable of becoming or being made perfect; pluperfect
more than perfect; uncorrupted, undefiled
(of language) not having its purity or excellence debased; utopian
characterized by or aspiring to impracticable perfection; show more antonyms...

adj wanting in moral strength, courage, or will; having the attributes of man as opposed to e.g. divine beings

Synonyms:: fallible, frail, weak

: human
having human form or attributes as opposed to those of animals or divine beings

2

n a tense of verbs used in describing action that is on-going

Synonyms:: continuous tense, imperfect tense, progressive, progressive tense

Types:: present progressive, present progressive tense
a tense used to express action that is on-going at the time of utterance; past progressive, past progressive tense
a progressive tense used to describe on-going action in the past; future progressive, future progressive tense
a progressive tense used to express action that will be on-going in the future

Type of:: tense
a grammatical category of verbs used to express distinctions of time