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Is it human to err?
Many people are familiar with the word err from encountering it in the epigram “to err is human; to forgive, divine.” This phrase is found in Alexander Pope’s An Essay on Criticism, from 1711. Earlier expressions of the same sentiment exist, as in Thomas Jones’ 1678 book, Of the Heart, and its Right Soveraign, which contains the line “to err, is human, to recover, is Angelical; to persevere is Diabolical.”
Err is also often found in the phrase err on the side of caution, to suggest that being overly cautious is better than not being cautious enough.
Err stems from the Latin word errare, meaning “to stray, wander,” and it retained that meaning when it first entered English. We find the same Latin ancestor at the root of the words error, erratic, and erroneous.
Examples of err in a Sentence
John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
There are often things best altered or shifted in novel adaptations, and a screen version can certainly err by being too true to the text.
—Anthony Paletta, The Washington Examiner, 28 Mar. 2025
His partner, Evan Bouchard, erred on the first and second goals against, too.
—Daniel Nugent-Bowman, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
What to do instead Give yourself a deadline if there isn’t one imposed on you already — erring toward sooner rather than later — and create consequences for missing it.
—Scott Mautz, Contributor, CNBC, 22 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for err
Cite this Entry
“Err.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/err. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.
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err
intransitive verb
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