fallible

[ fal-uh-buhl ]

adjective

1. (of persons) liable to err, especially in being deceived or mistaken.
2. liable to be erroneous or false; not accurate:

   fallible information.

fallible

/ ˈfælɪbəl /

adjective

1. capable of being mistaken; erring
2. liable to mislead

Derived Forms

• ˌfalliˈbility, noun
• ˈfallibly, adverb

Other Words From

• fal·li·bil·i·ty [fal-, uh, -, bil, -i-tee], fal·li·ble·ness noun
• fal·li·bly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of fallible¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Medieval Latin fallibilis, equivalent to Latin fall(ī) (passive of fallere “to deceive”) + -ibilis -ible

Word History and Origins

Origin of fallible¹

C15: from Medieval Latin fallibilis , from Latin fallere to deceive

Example Sentences

The defense was suddenly more fallible than usual.

From Los Angeles Times

They were flesh-and-blood human beings, fallible like all of us, and nowhere were these imperfections more apparent than in their obeisance to neoliberalism — that is, free-market capitalism.

From Salon

He’s a man whose vanity distracts his flock with his looks even as he preaches that the flesh is fallible and something to be overcome by, among other things, teaching a spin class online for his flock and contemplating an OnlyFans page.

From Salon

Oliver and the other doctors are fallible, be it freezing up during a spinal tap or completely overstepping into their patients’ personal lives to facilitate a father-daughter reunion.

From Los Angeles Times

After all, the machines will always be as fallible as the humans who make them function.

From Slate

Related Words

• faulty
• frail
• imperfect
• untrustworthy