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noun

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flaw - A mark, fault, or other imperfection that mars a substance or object

Supermodel Cindy Crawford's mole is viewed as a flaw that makes her even more beautiful.

noun

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repercussions - The effects or results of an action, event, or decision, especially those that are unintended or negative.

His decision to suddently quit the company without notice had serious repercussions, hurting his reputation and making it hard to find another job.

verb

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overreach - To go beyond what is proper, reasonable, or safe—especially in power or ambition; to stretch too far and fail as a result.

The company overreached by expanding too quickly and ended up in debt.

verb

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backfire - To have the opposite effect of what was intended, usually producing a negative result.

At the company meeting, his attempt to lie backfired, and when the truth came out, he was very embarrassed.

adjective

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indiscreet - Saying something that should be private, showing a lack of judgment,

John realized that he had been indiscreet when he revealed on the job interview as a financial advisor that he had lost all his money in the stock market.

noun

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glitch - A sudden, unexpected, and usually temporary malfunction of equipment such as a computer

The space shuttle take-off was canceled with 2 seconds left in the countdown, due to a glitch discovered in the fuel supply.

noun

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blooper - An embarrassing error

Movies will frequently have blooper reels where the actors laugh and ruin a scene.

verb

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backfire - When a plan fails, to have the opposite result of what was intended.

The politician tried to hide his assets, in order to appear like a common man. But his plan backfired when they were revealed, and people saw that he was a liar.

adjective

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humbling - Causing someone to feel less important or proud, often by emphasizing their limitations.

Receiving so much help from strangers during hard times was a humbling experience.

noun

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blunder - A stupid or careless mistake

Emma realized she had made a huge blunder when she accidentally deleted the entire spreadsheet.

verb

See noun

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fumble - Use the hands clumsily while doing or handling something

The football player fumbled the ball, so the opposing players tried to grab it.

noun

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boondoggle - Work or activity that is wasteful or pointless but gives the appearance of having value

When the funds dried up before the bridge could be finished, it turned into an expensive boondoggle that couldn't transport anybody.