fallible

adjective

fal·li·ble ˈfa-lə-bəl

Synonyms of fallible next

: liable to be erroneous

a fallible generalization

: capable of making a mistake

we're all fallible

fallibly

ˈfa-lə-blē

adverb

Did you know?

“Humanum est errare” is a Latin expression that translates as “To err is human.” Of course, cynics might say that it is also human to deceive. The history of the word fallible simultaneously recognizes both of these character flaws. In modern usage, fallible refers to one’s ability to make mistakes, but it descends from the Latin verb fallere, which means “to deceive.” Fallible has been used to describe the potential for error since at least the 15th century. Other descendants of fallere in English, all of which actually predate fallible, include fallacy (the earliest, now obsolete, meaning was “guile, trickery”), fault, false, and even fjail. Whoops, we mean fail.

Examples of fallible in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

And democracy is incredibly fallible with a bunch of fallible people. —

Sean Illing, Vox, 1 Feb. 2025 Government is as fallible as the people who run it. —

Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 28 Jan. 2025 Although guided by Judeo-Christian principles, these men composed a fallible document, inspired not by the divine but by human beings. —

Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2025 Post Post Share Save Print AI’s rapid advancement has ignited enthusiasm about its potential to revolutionize corporate decision-making by substituting for expensive, fallible humans. —

Martin Reeves, mihnea Moldoveanu, adam Job, Harvard Business Review, 11 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for fallible