1
: a refund of duties especially on an imported product subsequently exported or used to produce a product for export
2
: an objectionable feature : disadvantage
The plan's only drawback is its cost.
drew back; drawn back; drawing back; draws back
: to avoid an issue or commitment
Synonyms
Examples of drawback in a Sentence
Noun
The trip sounds great, but cost is a major drawback.
this plan has only one drawback: it's unworkable
Recent Examples on the Web
Vikas Agarwal, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
While any arrangement — fully remote, hybrid, or full-time on site — can have its drawbacks if not managed well, many studies show that offering flexible work is a key way to attract, engage and retain talent while also preserving institutional knowledge.
—Jeanne Sahadi, CNN, 23 Jan. 2025
Thomas Mallon, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025
Recruitment processes can be arduous and exhaustive but will always be drawn back to the one telling consideration.
—Philip Buckingham, The Athletic, 20 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for drawback 
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Noun
One of the significant drawbacks of transitioning from an on-premises data center to the cloud is the lack of easily accessible proof-of-concept (POC) environments for testing new innovations.
—Vikas Agarwal, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
While any arrangement — fully remote, hybrid, or full-time on site — can have its drawbacks if not managed well, many studies show that offering flexible work is a key way to attract, engage and retain talent while also preserving institutional knowledge.
—Jeanne Sahadi, CNN, 23 Jan. 2025
Verb
But Perle was always drawn back to Washington and to any opportunity for getting her name in the papers.
—Thomas Mallon, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025
Recruitment processes can be arduous and exhaustive but will always be drawn back to the one telling consideration.
—Philip Buckingham, The Athletic, 20 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for drawback
Dictionary Entries Near drawback
Cite this Entry
“Drawback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drawback. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
drawback
noun
draw·back
ˈdrȯ-ˌbak 
: an undesirable feature : disadvantage entry 1
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