disadvantage

/ˌˈdɪsədˌvæntɪdʒ/

/dɪsədˈvɑntɪdʒ/

Other forms: disadvantages; disadvantaged; disadvantaging

A piece of bad luck or a less favorable position is a disadvantage. If you are trying to run a fifty-yard dash in flip flops when everyone else has on running shoes, you'll be at a disadvantage.

It's harder to be successful when you start with a disadvantage. One kind of disadvantage is being born into a poor family — it's a struggle for a child in poverty to do well in school, attend college, or end up with a well-paying job. A disadvantage is the opposite of an advantage, a lucky or favorable circumstance. At the root of both words is the Old French avant, "at the front."

Definitions of disadvantage

1. noun

   the quality of having an inferior or less favorable position
   antonyms:

   advantage

   the quality of having a superior or more favorable position

   types:

   unfavorableness, unfavourableness

   the quality of not being encouraging or indicative of success

   limitation

   the quality of being limited or restricted

   defect, shortcoming

   a failing or deficiency

   awkwardness, nuisance value

   the quality of an embarrassing situation

   deprivation, loss

   the disadvantage that results from losing something

   drawback

   the quality of being a hindrance

   penalty

   the disadvantage or painful consequences of an action or condition

   inferiority, unfavorable position

   the quality of being a competitive disadvantage

   inexpedience, inexpediency

   the quality of being unsuited to the end in view

   unprofitability, unprofitableness

   the quality of affording no gain or no benefit or no profit

   inauspiciousness, unpropitiousness

   the quality of suggesting an unsuccessful result

   catch, gimmick

   a drawback or difficulty that is not readily evident

   type of:

   liability

   the quality of being something that holds you back
2. verb

   put at a disadvantage; hinder, harm
   “This rule clearly disadvantages me”

   synonyms: disfavor, disfavour

   antonyms:

   advantage

   give an advantage to

   types:

   hamper, handicap, hinder

   put at a disadvantage

   prejudice

   disadvantage by prejudice

   type of:

   discriminate, separate, single out

   treat differently on the basis of sex or race