severely flawed

USAGE SUMMARY

"severely flawed" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe something that has significant defects or problems. Example: The report was severely flawed, leading to incorrect conclusions. Alternative expressions include "deeply flawed" and "profoundly flawed."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

Immigrant advocates called the contracting process severely flawed.

The New York Times

I'm telling you the business model is severely flawed.

The New York Times - Sports

So, to be Ross is to be needy, kind of annoying and severely flawed.

The Guardian - Opinion

Conservatives say the payment rules for traditional Medicare and H.M.O.'s are severely flawed.

The New York Times

Senator Debbie Stabenow, Democrat of Michigan, called the current formula severely flawed.

The New York Times

Published in 1998, the notorious study — so severely flawed that ten of its thirteen authors long ago retracted their contributions — has been completely discredited.

The New Yorker

Rights groups have condemned the verdict as an attack on free speech, while observers of the trial said the process was severely flawed.

The Guardian

Donna E. Shalala, the secretary of health and human services, said the program, adopted by Congress with much fanfare, was severely flawed.

The New York Times

As a vehicle to promote competitive balance, the draft is severely flawed; small-market clubs routinely pass over top players because of their bonus demands.

The New York Times - Sports

Looking back, he acknowledged that as long as the goals of psychiatric treatment were intertwined with the Church's determination to return priests to duty, the system was severely flawed.

The New Yorker

Despite this, Ms. Spataro said she stood by her conclusion that the accounting standard was severely flawed and could give rise to incorrect measurements — numbers she was unwilling to certify or base tax decisions on.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair this phrase with nouns like "methodology", "logic", "system" or "character" for maximum impact.

Common error

Avoid using "severely flawed" when you actually mean the subject is beyond repair. While it denotes serious issues, it doesn't always mean the subject is "fatally flawed", which would imply it is completely useless or destined to fail. Reserve the latter for total irredeemability.

Linguistic Context

Functioning as an adjective phrase, it combines the intensifier adverb "severely" with the participle adjective "flawed". Ludwig AI identifies this as a standard intensification pattern used to describe systems, studies or personalities.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Formal & Business

26%

Science

17%

Less common in

Wiki

7%

Encyclopedias

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

Ludwig AI confirms that "severely flawed" is a robust and widely accepted phrase in formal English. It is frequently employed by high-authority sources like The New York Times and various scientific journals to denote significant structural or procedural failures. Whether describing a "scientific study", a "business model" or a "political process", the phrase provides a precise level of emphasis that signals major concern without necessarily implying total irreparable failure. Its frequent usage across diverse domains makes it a versatile tool for professional writing and critique.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Deeply flawed

Most common alternative with nearly identical meaning and usage.

Highly imperfect

Slightly less intense, focusing on lack of perfection rather than damage.

Fundamentally broken

Stronger emphasis on structural failure that prevents the subject from working.

Critically defective

Used more frequently in technical or industrial contexts.

Fatally compromised

Suggests the flaws have made the subject entirely unreliable or doomed.

Grossly inaccurate

Specific to data, calculations or statements that are far from the truth.

Seriously inadequate

Focuses on the subject's inability to meet requirements or standards.

Profoundly mistaken

Better suited for describing beliefs, assumptions or intellectual positions.

Largely invalid

Focuses on the lack of legal, scientific or logical validity.

Heavily biased

Attributes the flaws specifically to prejudice or lack of neutrality.

FAQs

How to use "severely flawed" in a sentence?

You can use it to critique a process or object, for example: "The primary election process was deemed "severely flawed" by international observers".

What is the difference between "severely flawed" and "fatally flawed"?

A "severely flawed" system has major issues that might still be addressed, whereas a "fatally flawed" system has a defect so fundamental that it cannot function or succeed.

Can "severely flawed" be used for people?

Yes, it is often used in literary and film criticism to describe a "severely flawed character" who has significant moral or psychological failings.

What can I say instead of "severely flawed"?

Depending on your context, you can use alternatives like "deeply flawed", "fundamentally broken" or "heavily compromised".