err on the side of
idiom
: to use or show more of (something) than may be needed so that one can be sure that he or she is using or showing enough of it
It's better to err on the side of generosity than to appear too stingy.
We chose to err on the side of caution when planning our investments.
Examples of err on the side of in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
When in doubt, err on the side of caution and throw out food that may have spoiled during your journey.
—
Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Nov. 2025
Conner ultimately wants to err on the side of believing the person who said they were inappropriately touched but the story isn’t adding up.
—Olivia Crandall, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2025
That may err on the side of slightly wishful thinking, but the club at least has a better head start on eternal life than most.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 10 Nov. 2025
So for October, the Fed wanted to err on the side of a further rate cut.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for err on the side of
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Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Nov. 2025
Conner ultimately wants to err on the side of believing the person who said they were inappropriately touched but the story isn’t adding up.
—Olivia Crandall, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2025
That may err on the side of slightly wishful thinking, but the club at least has a better head start on eternal life than most.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 10 Nov. 2025
So for October, the Fed wanted to err on the side of a further rate cut.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for err on the side of
Cite this Entry
“Err on the side of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/err%20on%20the%20side%20of. Accessed 1 Dec. 2025.
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