INDEX:
1. a bad feature of something
2. something that makes it more difficult for someone to succeed
3. to have a disadvantage compared to other people or things
RELATED WORDS
opposite
↑ ADVANTAGE
see also
↑ POOR
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1. a bad feature of something
▷ disadvantage /ˌdɪsədˈvɑːntɪdʒǁ-ˈvæn-/ [countable noun]
a bad feature of something, for example a way in which it causes problems or is worse than other things of the same kind :
▪ The proposal has some major disadvantages.
disadvantage of
▪ The main disadvantage of being a nurse is working irregular hours.
▷ drawback /ˈdrɔːbæk/ [countable noun]
a disadvantage of something, that makes it seem less attractive - use this especially when something seems good in other ways :
▪ It’s a good-looking car - the only drawback is the price.
drawback of
▪ One of the major drawbacks of being famous is the lack of privacy.
drawback to
▪ High house prices are one drawback to economic growth.
▷ liability /ˌlaɪəˈbɪlɪti, ˌlaɪəˈbɪləti/ [countable noun]
someone or something that is a disadvantage because they are likely to make you less successful :
▪ In those days, a politician’s wife who did not hold traditional views could be a liability.
liability to
▪ The product that was once so popular is now a liability to the company.
serious liability
▪ The bank realized that the dispute was becoming a serious liability in doing business
▷ limitations /ˌlɪmɪˈteɪʃ ə nz, ˌlɪməˈteɪʃ ə nz/ [plural noun]
the limits on how good someone or something can be or what they are able to do :
▪ I think we’ve done a wonderful job, considering the limitations we’ve had to work under.
▪ We made an inspection of the building’s resources and limitations.
▷ the downside /ðə ˈdaʊnsaɪd/ [countable noun usually singular]
the disadvantage of a plan or situation that in most other ways seems good :
▪ The band sounds great. The only downside is the quality of the recording.
the downside of
▪ The downside of the New Economy is the forced resettlement of villagers.
2. something that makes it more difficult for someone to succeed
▷ disadvantage /ˌdɪsədˈvɑːntɪdʒǁ-ˈvæn-/ [countable/uncountable noun]
something that makes it more difficult for you to succeed or to do what you want, especially compared to other people :
▪ Like many other black families, his family had to struggle to overcome social and economic disadvantage.
▪ Our goal is to try to provide financial help people in our community with a lot of disadvantages.
▷ handicap /ˈhændɪkæp/ [countable noun]
something that prevents you from doing something as well as you could :
▪ Not being able to drive is a real handicap if you live in the country.
handicap of
▪ The team had a good season despite the handicap of having 5 new players.
be a handicap to somebody
▪ His lack of height has not been a handicap to him. He is as good an athlete as anyone else in the school.
3. to have a disadvantage compared to other people or things
▷ have a disadvantage /hæv ə ˌdɪsədˈvɑːntɪdʒǁ-ˈvæn-/ [verb phrase not in progressive]
▪ She has the same qualifications as the other candidates, but has one big disadvantage - lack of experience.
▪ Their restaurant has the disadvantage of being located south of town, a little too far from the tourist routes.
▷ be at a disadvantage /biː ət ə ˌdɪsədˈvɑːntɪdʒǁ-ˈvæn-/ [verb phrase]
to have a disadvantage, especially because you do not have the experience or qualities that make you more likely to succeed in doing something :
▪ Women are still at a disadvantage when it comes to getting jobs in the military.
▪ People with previous convictions are always at a disadvantage when on trial in a court of law.
put/place somebody at a disadvantage
▪ The test put candidates whose first language was not English at a disadvantage.
▷ disadvantaged /ˌdɪsədˈvɑːntɪdʒdǁ-ˈvæn-/ [adjective]
if someone is disadvantaged, they are suffering social or economic disadvantages such as lack of money or bad education, so that they have less chance of being successful than other people :
▪ The club runs programs for disadvantaged children in the inner city areas.
the disadvantaged
disadvantaged people
▪ Booth invented schemes to help the disadvantaged in the community.
▷ be handicapped /biː ˈhændɪkæpt/ [verb phrase]
to have a disadvantage that makes it very difficult for you to do something :
be handicapped by something
▪ The Republican candidate was handicapped by his heavy schedule.
▪ In all its ambitious plans the company has been handicapped by an outdated system of management.
▷ the odds are stacked (heavily) against you /ði ˌɒdz ɑːʳ ˌstækt (hevə̇li) əˈgenst juːǁ-ˌɑːdz-/
use this to say that someone has a big disadvantage so that they are very unlikely to be successful :
▪ With every big company in town trying to stop them, the odds are stacked against them.
▪ Most people who go into casinos know the odds are stacked heavily against them, but it doesn’t stop them from trying.
▷ be to somebody’s/something’s disadvantage /biː tə somebodyˈs/somethingˈs ˌdɪsədˈvɑːntɪdʒǁ -ˈvæn-/ [verb phrase]
to give someone or something a disadvantage :
▪ Her height could be to her disadvantage if she wants to be a dancer.
▪ To its disadvantage, the book contains a lot of material that is difficult for the average person to understand.
to the disadvantage of
▪ The government has reorganized the taxation system to the disadvantage of low-paid workers.
▷ be against /biː əˈgenst/ [transitive verb]
if particular conditions are against someone or something, they make it unlikely or impossible for them to succeed in doing something :
▪ Time is against us. The longer we wait to find a solution to the crisis, the worse it will get.
▪ He wanted to become a pilot but his bad eyesight was against him.
▷ count against /ˌkaʊnt əˈgenst/ [transitive phrasal verb]
if something counts against you, it makes people have a worse opinion of you, and often makes people decide not to choose you, or makes them decide that you are guilty :
▪ We believe Caroline Connely is innocent, but her silence could count against her in a court.
▪ He was a child when he committed the crime. Should that count against him as an adult with a clean record?