Illustration of fault
- 1 fault with displaced strata a b c d e
- 2 scarp
1
b
: a physical or intellectual imperfection or impairment : defect
a theory with some serious faults
c
: an error especially in service in a net or racket game
She committed too many faults to win the match.
2
: responsibility for wrongdoing or failure
the accident was the driver's fault
3
a
: mistake
The misplacement of "only" is one of the most common writing faults.
b
: misdemeanor
a small boy's faults
4
: a fracture in the crust of a planet (such as the earth) or moon accompanied by a displacement of one side of the fracture with respect to the other usually in a direction parallel to the fracture
Frequent earthquakes have occurred along the San Andreas Fault.
5
obsolete
: lack
faulted; faulting; faults
1
: to find a fault in
easy to praise this book and to fault it—
H. G. Roepke
H. G. Roepke3
: to produce a geologic fault in
Examples of fault in a Sentence
Noun
Lack of courage is his worst fault.
If the book has a fault, it's that it's too long.
It's your own fault you missed that bus.
Through no fault of his own, he won't be able to attend the meeting.
She committed too many faults to win the match.
Verb
The truck driver was faulted for the accident.
Many have faulted her for not acting sooner.
I can't fault him for trying to protect his family.
Recent Examples on the Web
Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
The two men immediately began arguing over who was at fault, cops said.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 12 July 2025
David Ferrara, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
The crew members faulted producers for the hiring of armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter last year.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for fault
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
State officials initially tried to put fault on the NWS early on in the flood recovery efforts, claiming the agency did not properly convey the storm's threat, but experts have since said the warnings issued were as timely and accurate as could have been expected.
—Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
The two men immediately began arguing over who was at fault, cops said.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 12 July 2025
Verb
Firm's recommendations centered around more training The firm did fault a few of the department's actions, notably an Evendale supervisor's decision to pull into the parking lot of a Lockland school building within minutes of elementary school students being dismissed.
—David Ferrara, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
The crew members faulted producers for the hiring of armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter last year.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for fault
Cite this Entry
“Fault.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fault. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fault
1 of 2 noun1
a
: a weakness in character : failing
b
: a physical or mental flaw
2
a
: a wrongful act
3
: responsibility for wrongdoing or failure
it's all my fault
4
: a break in the earth's crust accompanied by a displacement of rock masses parallel to the break
faultless
adjective
-ləs
faultlessly
adverb
faultlessness
noun
fault
2 of 2 verb1
: to fracture so as to produce a geologic fault
2
: to find a fault in
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