Definition of fault - Reverso English Dictionary
Noun
1.
accountabilityresponsibility for a mistake or wrongdoing
- The accident was entirely his fault.
2.
imperfectiondefect or flaw in an object or system
- The machine stopped working due to a fault.
3.
character flawweakness or failing in character
- Her impatience is her biggest fault.
4.
decision slipmistake or error in judgment or action
- He admitted his fault in the decision-making process.
5.
sportsTECH. illegal serve in tennisTECH.
- She lost the point due to a fault.
6.
technologyTECH. technical issue in an electrical circuitTECH.
- The power outage was due to a fault in the circuit.
7.
geologyTECH. fracture in the earth's crustTECH.
- The earthquake was caused by a fault line.
Verb
1.
criticismtr. criticize or blame someone or somethingtr.
- She was quick to fault his decision.
2.
geologyintr. TECH. undergo a fracture in geologyintr. TECH.
- The rock layers began to fault after the earthquake.
3.
technologyintr. TECH. encounter a memory access error in computingintr. TECH.
- The program will fault if memory is insufficient.
Images of fault

fracture in the earth's crust
Expressions with fault
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responsible for a mistake or wrongdoing
She was at fault for the accident.
criticize someone or something too much, often without good reason
He always finds fault with my work.
criticize or complain about something or someone
She always finds fault with his cooking.
in an extremely or excessively way, often more than needed
She is generous to a fault.
i did not cause the problem
It's not my fault the vase broke.
responsibility for a mistake or problem
It was clearly John's fault that the vase broke.
completely without defects mistakes or detectable problems
The engineer delivered a fault-free design after several rounds of testing.
typical mistake or defect occurring often
Procrastination is a common fault among students.
forgive a mistake or flaw
He decided to overlook a fault in his friend's behavior.
someone who always finds mistakes in others
My uncle is a fault-finder and never happy.
likely to have faults, defects, or make mistakes
This old computer is very fault-prone.
hidden issue or weakness that can cause conflict or problems
The policy exposed a fault line in the organization.
not blaming anyone for a problem or situation
They had a no-fault divorce last year.
excessively thankful often to the point of being inappropriate
She is grateful to a fault, always thanking everyone for the smallest things.
extremely honest even when it causes problems
She is honest to a fault, always telling the truth no matter what.
excessively kind or considerate
She is nice to a fault, always putting others before herself.
showing loyalty that may cause problems
His loyal to a fault nature made him overlook her mistakes.
extremely generous sometimes to the point of causing problems
She is generous to a fault, often giving away more than she can afford.
responsibility for a problem belongs to someone or something
The fault lies with management, not with the workers.
find no fair reason to criticize someone or something in a situation
You cannot fault their effort in the final match.
saying someone caused a bad result and holds full responsibility
It's all your fault we got caught in the rain.
problem where equipment or systems stop working correctly
The flight was delayed due to a technical fault in the engine.
two consecutive faults in tennis, resulting in a lost point
After committing a double fault, she lost the crucial game.
problem in wiring or devices causing unsafe or incorrect electric flow
The electrician found an electrical fault in the kitchen lighting circuit.
Origin of fault
Old French, faute (lack) + Latin, fallere (to deceive)
Terms with fault included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
flawless
without fault or mistake; without flaw, of supreme quality
apology
used to apologize for a minor fault
justify fault
provide a reason for a fault or mistake
general error
error or fault in action, calculation, opinion, or judgment
pardon
act of excusing or pardoning a fault
take responsibility
acknowledge fault or error
responsibility
take responsibility for a mistake or fault
fault duty
be the reason for a bad result or wrongdoing
blame
person or group at fault in a situation
fault
responsible for a mistake or wrongdoing
etiquette
acknowledgment of an error or fault
cause assigning
hold someone or something at fault for a problem
at fault
deserving blame or responsible for something bad
fault discussion
discusses who is responsible for something bad
responsibility
assign responsibility for a fault or wrong
criticism
criticize or censure someone for a fault
admission
admitting to a wrongdoing or fault
complaining
complain or find fault
fault-finding
person who finds fault with others
cause
believed to be a cause or at fault
psychology
fault or flaw in character or ability
personal blame
blame someone for a fault or wrongdoing
forgiveness
be forgiven for a mistake or fault
computer tech
fault in programs, devices or systems causing unexpected trouble
Examples of fault in a sentence
The fault was not entirely hers. The engineer identified a fault in the circuit. A fault in the software caused the system to crash. His stubbornness is a fault that often causes problems. She recognized her fault and apologized sincerely. The fault was in the calculations, leading to errors.
She found a fault in the argument presented. The match was interrupted by a fault. His serve was called a fault by the umpire. Engineers quickly identified the fault causing the blackout. A fault in the wiring led to the device malfunction. The geologist studied the fault to predict future earthquakes. A new fault was discovered beneath the ocean floor. He tends to fault others for his mistakes. They will fault the team for the loss. The tectonic plates can fault under pressure. Seismic activity may cause the ground to fault. The system may fault during heavy processing. If the data is missing, the application will fault.
View all translations of fault
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:faute, blâmer, ...
- German:Schuld, kritisieren, ...
- Italian:colpa, criticare, ...
- Spanish:culpa, criticar, ...
- Portuguese:culpa, criticar, ...
- Chinese:过错, 指责, ...
- Japanese:責任, 非難する, ...
- Arabic:ذنب, عَابَ, ...
- Hebrew:אַשְׁמָה, לְבַקֵּר, ...
- Russian:вина, критиковать, ...
- Ukrainian:провина, критикувати, ...
- Hindi:दोष, दोष देना, ...
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