disadvantage

noun

ˌdis-əd-ˈvan-tij How to pronounce disadvantage (audio)
Definition of disadvantagenext
1
as in handicap
a feature of someone or something that creates difficulty for achieving success their lack of height was a disadvantage on the basketball court

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in expense
the negative result caused by something that creates difficulty for achieving success intense pretrial publicity worked to our disadvantage

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of disadvantage And, despite the disadvantage—or perhaps because of it—the tenacious midfielders kept up pressure on the other end whenever possible. — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 2 July 2026 For China, having no access to Mythos was a significant disadvantage, Zhou said. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 25 June 2026 Many professionals and students have moved abroad in search of opportunities, putting Venezuela at a dire disadvantage with its disaster response. — Whitney Eulich, Christian Science Monitor, 26 June 2026 Democrats have a massive voter registration disadvantage compared to Republicans. — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for disadvantage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disadvantage
  1. handicap
  2. expense
  3. drawback
  4. despite
  5. liability
  6. loss
Noun
  • For more serious violations, such as parking in a handicap space or in front of a fire hydrant, drivers will receive a 15-minute text warning.
    — Bri Buckley, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • The deal, of which Vance is increasingly the public face, is encountering a wall of opposition from skeptical conservatives who have blasted it as a loss for the United States — and a potential handicap for Vance’s political future.
    — Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 24 June 2026
Definition of handicap
Noun
  • The results include deducted one-off expenses for employee bonus provisions.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 7 July 2026
  • Since Calleja’s near-fatal fall, over $42,000 ($61,000 AUD) has been donated to a fundraiser organized by his football club to help cover medical expenses.
    — Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
Definition of expense
Noun
  • While there are some drawbacks compared to traditional investments — such as its inability to earn dividends — there are several ways to add gold to your portfolio.
    — Liz Knueven, CNBC, 1 July 2026
  • But most have drawbacks, including damaging bones, taking a long time to process, having expensive operational costs, or the use of environmentally hazardous substances.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 1 July 2026
Definition of drawback
Noun
  • Political observers think Talarico could surge to the fore in the primary despite, or perhaps because of, his outsider status.
    — Julia Mueller, The Hill, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Despite the fact that the age of female winners has been steadily increasing in the last despite, the average female Oscar winner is 39 years old, according to a Sky News 2023 report—almost a decade younger than the average male winner at 47.
    — Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2023
Definition of despite
Noun
  • This dynamic in which your own browsing history becomes a liability is part of a broader shift in how retailers use data to set prices.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 3 July 2026
  • Swimply covers up to $1 million in liability for hosts, similar to Airbnb's policy for home rentals.
    — Stephan Bisaha, NPR, 3 July 2026
Definition of liability
Noun
  • The congregation started to arrive at the usual time, about half an hour before Mass on a recent Saturday afternoon, the old church slowly filling with the descendants and caretakers of a place of great serenity but also great loss.
    — Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • Fireflies are facing growing challenges from habitat loss, pesticide use, climate change and light pollution.
    — Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 5 July 2026
Definition of loss

Browse Nearby Words

disaccustomed
disadvantage
disadvantaged
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Disadvantage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disadvantage. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on disadvantage

Nglish: Translation of disadvantage for Spanish Speakers

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