noun
disadvantage
dih-suhd-VAHN-tihj
noun
1
A drawback, weakness, or unfavorable circumstance compared to others.
"The main disadvantage of the apartment is its distance from the station."
"Being short is a disadvantage in basketball."
verb
1
To put someone in a weaker or less favorable position.
"The new rule disadvantages smaller businesses."
"Growing up in poverty had disadvantaged him from the start."
How to Use Disadvantage
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA downside or unfair handicap that puts someone or something at a lower chance of success.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
at a disadvantage
put someone at a disadvantage
economic disadvantage
Word Forms
disadvantaged past tense, disadvantages plural, disadvantages singular
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The main _____ of the apartment is its distance from the station.
Etymology
From Middle English disavauntage, borrowed from Old French desavantage.