err on the side of
idiom
: to use or show more of (something) than may be needed so that one can be sure that he or she is using or showing enough of it
It's better to err on the side of generosity than to appear too stingy.
We chose to err on the side of caution when planning our investments.
Examples of err on the side of in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Each failure and loss in China were met with fierce public backlash, and the pressure has likely led researchers to err on the side of caution in releasing more pandas, Huang said.
—
Nectar Gan, CNN, 26 Jan. 2025
Their choice to err on the side of more speech is a defensible, if imperfect, response to a political moment in the United States in which a large segment of the population feels constricted by the limits of acceptable public discourse.
—Suzanne Nossel, The Mercury News, 19 Jan. 2025
Meta will err on the side of leaving up content that does not violate the law or otherwise foster offline harm, and loosen speech restraints on political subjects including immigration and gender identity.
—Suzanne Nossel, The Mercury News, 19 Jan. 2025
So Patel says if concerned, parents could err on the side of caution and consider limiting kids' outdoor activity time.
—Alejandra Borunda, NPR, 18 Jan. 2025
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Nectar Gan, CNN, 26 Jan. 2025
Their choice to err on the side of more speech is a defensible, if imperfect, response to a political moment in the United States in which a large segment of the population feels constricted by the limits of acceptable public discourse.
—Suzanne Nossel, The Mercury News, 19 Jan. 2025
Meta will err on the side of leaving up content that does not violate the law or otherwise foster offline harm, and loosen speech restraints on political subjects including immigration and gender identity.
—Suzanne Nossel, The Mercury News, 19 Jan. 2025
So Patel says if concerned, parents could err on the side of caution and consider limiting kids' outdoor activity time.
—Alejandra Borunda, NPR, 18 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for err on the side of
Dictionary Entries Near err on the side of
Cite this Entry
“Err on the side of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/err%20on%20the%20side%20of. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.
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