fallible

adjective

fal·li·ble ˈfa-lə-bəl

Synonyms of fallible

: 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.

Even with the enviable long-term performance, the combination of fallible decision-making and occasionally being out of sync with the markets has caused Berkshire Hathway to underperform the S&P 500 more often than most would expect. —Bill Stone, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025 Maybe the most contentious issue ever to divide these two camps is whether or not to replace notoriously inaccurate human home plate umpires with less fallible machines. —Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 21 Feb. 2025 Liverpool are what league champions used to look like: excellent, but with their fragilities; fallible winners who would have nervy halves against teams such as Wolves from time to time. —Nick Miller, The Athletic, 16 Feb. 2025 An angel doesn’t have a body, certainly not a fallible one full of viscera and waste and gore. —Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fallible