fault

noun
UK: /fɔːlt/
US: /fɑːlt/

  1. A weakness or imperfection in something or someone.

    1. My car has a small fault in the engine that needs fixing soon. [ ] [ ]
    2. His biggest fault is that he is unable to admit when he's wrong about something. [ ] [ ]

  2. Responsibility for a mistake or wrongdoing.

    1. It was my fault that we missed the train this morning. [ ] [ ]
    2. The accident was determined to be the other driver's fault because he ran a red light. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

weakness flaw failing responsibility defect error
fault verb

  1. To find something to criticize or complain about.

    1. Don't fault me for trying my best on this difficult test. [ ] [ ]
    2. You can't fault her for wanting to protect her family when they are in danger. [ ] [ ]

  2. To have a flaw or imperfection.

    1. Although the plan is great, it faults in its execution because people disagree. [ ] [ ]
    2. The system faults when it receives too much data because it can't manage the processing. [ ] [ ]
fault transitive-verb

  1. To criticize (someone or something), especially in a petty or trivial way.

    1. I can't fault his work as it's always accurate and on time. [ ] [ ]
    2. The team leader could not fault the report as the analysis was well researched and thorough. [ ] [ ]
fault intransitive-verb

  1. To have flaws or imperfections.

    1. The old machine faults often due to wear and tear, requiring frequent repairs. [ ] [ ]
    2. The argument faults when considering the external factors influencing the situation's outcome. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "fault" in English means: A weakness or imperfection in something or someone., Responsibility for a mistake or wrongdoing..

The phonetic transcription of "fault" is /fɔːlt/ in British English and /fɑːlt/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "fault": weakness, flaw, failing, responsibility, defect, error.

Example usage of "fault": "My car has a small fault in the engine that needs fixing soon.". More examples on the page.