a flawed beginning

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a flawed beginning" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an initial phase or start of something that has imperfections or issues. Example: "Despite a flawed beginning, the project eventually turned out to be a success."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"But if you have a flawed beginning, then you've got 20 years of working on a flawed study".

The New York Times - Health

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Indeed the death of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi — surely the founding moment of a new Libya — may have signaled a newer template, offering a much more ambiguous and flawed beginning to the iconography of Libya's liberation.

The New York Times

So the Folger Theatre's mission at the moment — staging a modern-dress version of this obscure work, often consigned to the filing cabinet of classical drama labeled "deeply flawed" — begins as strikingly esoteric.

The Washington Post

The problem area is either a flawed policy to begin with, or a sense that the business requirement changed and that the amount of transformation was not recognised.

The Guardian

If they saw him as a kick in their quarterback's pants — a flawed concept to begin with, given Sanchez's shaky confidence — why never give him a start?

The New Yorker

"And Boeing didn't help by not providing the proper information and designing a flawed system to begin with," he says, referring to the plane maker's decision that it wasn't necessary to inform pilots that the MCAS system had been added to the new version of the 737.

Forbes

It is the result of a flawed concept to begin with, and the notion that "better" strategy is going to remove the mistakes at the root are delusional.

Huffington Post

I am grateful that Edinburgh has allowed me to do a flawed show, which is the beginning of a journey.

The Guardian

However, he never acknowledged that he too contributed to the impasse because the negotiations were based, from the very beginning, on a flawed process.

Huffington Post

And tales that begin with a flawed human being in the role of the messiah never end well.

The Guardian - Opinion

In Deep Survival, author Laurence Gonzales writes: "Everyone who dies out there dies of confusion". That deadly confusion begins with a flawed mental model that fails to reflect reality but still serves as the basis for taking action.

Harvard Business Review

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a flawed beginning", ensure the context clearly indicates what is flawed and how it impacts the subsequent development or outcome. For instance, specify the specific aspects of the beginning that are problematic.

Common error

Avoid using "a flawed beginning" without specifying the nature of the flaw. Vague statements lack impact. Instead of saying "the project had a flawed beginning", specify "the project had a flawed beginning due to inadequate planning".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a flawed beginning" functions as a noun phrase that acts as a subject complement or object in a sentence. It describes the quality of the beginning, indicating it is imperfect or defective. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

15%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a flawed beginning" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe an imperfect or defective start to something. As indicated by Ludwig AI, the phrase is correct and usable in written English. While relatively rare, it appears most frequently in news and media contexts. When employing this phrase, ensure the nature of the flaw is clearly defined to enhance clarity and impact. Related phrases include "an imperfect start" and "a problematic outset".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an imperfect start

Replaces "flawed" with "imperfect", emphasizing a lack of perfection rather than a significant defect.

a problematic outset

Substitutes "beginning" with "outset" and "flawed" with "problematic", highlighting the presence of issues at the very start.

a shaky start

Replaces "flawed" with "shaky", suggesting instability or uncertainty from the beginning.

a difficult start

Replaces "flawed" with "difficult", focusing on the challenges faced at the beginning.

a troubled inception

Uses "inception" instead of "beginning" and "troubled" for "flawed", indicating problems during the initial stages.

a compromised launch

Emphasizes the initial launch or introduction being "compromised" due to flaws.

a deficient commencement

Replaces "beginning" with "commencement" and "flawed" with "deficient", highlighting a lack of essential qualities from the start.

an error-ridden start

Replaces "flawed" with "error-ridden", directly pointing to the presence of errors from the beginning.

a suboptimal kickoff

Uses "kickoff" in place of "beginning" and "suboptimal" to mean "less than ideal" or "flawed".

a defective genesis

Substitutes "beginning" with "genesis" and "flawed" with "defective", suggesting inherent faults from the origin.

FAQs

How can I use "a flawed beginning" in a sentence?

You can use "a flawed beginning" to describe the initial phase of something that has imperfections or issues. For example, "Despite "a flawed beginning", the project eventually turned out to be a success".

What are some alternatives to "a flawed beginning"?

Some alternatives include "an imperfect start", "a problematic outset", or "a shaky start" depending on the context.

What does it mean when something has "a flawed beginning"?

It means that the initial stages or foundation of something were not properly executed or contained significant errors or defects that could affect its subsequent development.

Is it better to say "flawed beginning" or "imperfect beginning"?

Both "flawed beginning" and "imperfect beginning" are acceptable. "Flawed" suggests a more significant defect, while "imperfect" implies a lack of perfection but not necessarily a critical issue.