fault
fawlt
Fault (noun) means Responsibility for a mistake or wrongdoing. Example: “It wasn't her fault that the flight was delayed.”
noun
1
Responsibility for a mistake or wrongdoing.
"It wasn't her fault that the flight was delayed."
2
A flaw, weakness, or shortcoming in a person, object, or system.
"Despite his faults, he was a loyal friend."
"Engineers traced the fault to a loose wire."
3
(geology) A fracture in rock along which the two sides have shifted relative to each other.
"The San Andreas Fault runs through much of California."
verb
1
To find something wrong with, or blame, someone or something.
"You can't fault her effort, even though the result wasn't perfect."
How to use fault
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA mistake, weakness, or the blame for something going wrong.
Common pairings
find fault with
at fault
a technical fault
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Word forms
- Plural
- faults
- Third person singular
- faults
- Past tense
- faulted
Fill the gap
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It wasn't her _____ that the flight was delayed.
Etymology
From Old French faute, ultimately from Vulgar Latin fallita, "a shortcoming", related to Latin fallere, "to deceive".
Synonyms
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Rhymes for fault
See all rhymes for fault →Frequently asked questions
What does “fault” mean?
The word “fault” means responsibility for a mistake or wrongdoing. In plain terms, a mistake, weakness, or the blame for something going wrong.
How do you pronounce “fault”?
“Fault” is pronounced fawlt (/fɔlt/ in IPA).
How do you use “fault” in a sentence?
Here is “fault” used in a sentence: “It wasn't her fault that the flight was delayed.”
What part of speech is “fault”?
Depending on how it is used, “fault” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “fault” come from?
The word “fault” comes from Vulgar Latin. From Old French faute, ultimately from Vulgar Latin fallita, "a shortcoming", related to Latin fallere, "to deceive".
Is “fault” a common word?
“Fault” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “fault” have?
“Fault” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: responsibility for a mistake or wrongdoing.
What is the difference between fault and blame?
Fault is the responsibility for something going wrong, where the mistake actually lies. Blame is the act of assigning that responsibility to someone. Fault is a fact about who caused a problem; blame is what people direct at them for it. You can be at fault before anyone has placed the blame.
What is the difference between fault and mistake?
A mistake is the wrong action itself, the error someone makes. Fault is the responsibility for that error, the sense of who is to blame. You make a mistake, but the fault is yours for making it. One names the wrong thing done; the other names who is answerable for it.
What does it mean to be 'at fault'?
To be at fault means to be the one responsible for a mistake, accident, or problem. If a driver is at fault in a crash, their actions caused it. The phrase points to blame without necessarily implying deliberate wrongdoing, since a person can be at fault simply through carelessness or error.
Is fault always a negative word?
Usually yes, since it points to a mistake, a flaw, or responsibility for something going wrong, all of which carry blame. But the phrase 'to a fault' leans positive, meaning to an excessive degree of a good quality, as in 'generous to a fault'. Context decides how critical the word sounds.
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