Drawbacks

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Negative aspects that result in adverse effects or limitations
2. Elements that contribute to undesirable consequences or hindrances
3. Unfavorable aspects that reduce the overall benefits or effectiveness of something

Etymology: "Drawbacks" is the plural of "drawback," a compound of "draw" and "back." The source-given structure is simple: the noun joins the verb "draw" to the adverb "back," in the same way as "setback." Its literal sense is the act of pulling something back, and in the older compound the idea of drawing back, withdrawing or deducting from a sum gave rise to the modern sense of a disadvantage that holds something back. Because "drawback" is built transparently from two ordinary English words, a reader can see the logic directly: whatever pulls progress backward is a drawback. The meaning of the plural form matches the singular, so "drawbacks" simply names several such disadvantages at once.

Synonyms: disadvantages, downsides