Master confusing words with ease
Defective vs. Deficient
Defective
/dɪˈfektɪv/Examples:
The recall was due to the defective airbags installed.Detecting the defective gene is key for the diagnosis.The product had a defective seal, causing leaks.
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Antonyms:
Deficient
/dɪˈfɪʃənt/Examples:
Her report was deficient in key statistics.The deficient soil yielded poor crop results.His deficient knowledge led to frequent errors.
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Antonyms:
Ways to tell them apart:
- Defective and deficient both describe something that is not perfect, but the nuance is important.
- Defective suggests the presence of a flaw or fault that prevents normal operation.
- Deficient suggests a shortage or lack of quality, quantity, or strength in something.
- Think of a defective product as broken, while a deficient product just hasn't met a certain standard or volume.
- A device could be defective if it doesn’t work; a deficient device might work but not up to expected standards.
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