Negative attribute, so to speak

MINUS

Think of what you might see on a math test when subtracting or the symbol that turns a positive into its opposite.

This clue plays on the double meaning of "negative." In math, a minus sign represents a negative value, but the word "minus" can also describe a flaw or downside—like saying something has "a few minuses." The phrase "so to speak" hints that you should think of "negative" in a less literal, more conversational way. That leads you to "MINUS" as the answer.