A flaw is a small fault, weakness, or mistake in something that makes it less perfect. It can be in an object, a plan, or a person’s character.
“Flaw” may come from Old Norse “flaga,” meaning “slab” or “flake,” suggesting a piece broken off. Over time, it came to mean a break or defect in something that should be whole.
We often talk about “flawed characters” in stories because flaws make people interesting and believable. A perfectly flawless hero usually feels less real—and less relatable—than someone who struggles.
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