faultier; faultiest
: marked by fault or defect : imperfect
faultily adverb
faultiness noun

Examples of faulty in a Sentence

the cause of the plane crash was traced to faulty wiring
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Hospital administrators failed to repair a faulty water heater, resulting in a lack of hot water needed to sterilize instruments and for surgery staff to wash their hands. Tony Saavedra, Oc Register, 17 July 2025 Look out for signs of faulty wiring, such as flickering lights or discolored outlets, and be sure to read the warning labels and care instructions for your appliances and devices before using them. Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 July 2025 Ford said the SUVs have faulty fuel leaks that could raise the risk of the vehicles catching on fire. Jamie L. Lareau, The Courier-Journal, 16 July 2025 Most of us were trained - formally or not - to approach problems like machines: if it’s broken, find the faulty part and replace it. Nell Derick Debevoise, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for faulty

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of faulty was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Faulty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/faulty. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

faulty

adjective
faultier; faultiest
: having a fault or weakness : imperfect
faultily adverb
faultiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on faulty

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!