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
Thus, leaders often err on the side of caution, knowing that they are held to a high standard.
—
Harvard Business Review, 20 Feb. 2026
Early childhood advocates in California tend to err on the side of limiting testing as well, Fuller said.
—Makiya Seminera, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Second, Warsh is seen as an inflation hawk who will err on the side of higher, not lower, interest rates.
—Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2026
Polk said the astronaut is stable but that diagnostic uncertainty in microgravity prompted NASA to err on the side of bringing the crew member back to Earth.
—Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for err on the side of
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.
Harvard Business Review, 20 Feb. 2026
Early childhood advocates in California tend to err on the side of limiting testing as well, Fuller said.
—Makiya Seminera, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Second, Warsh is seen as an inflation hawk who will err on the side of higher, not lower, interest rates.
—Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2026
Polk said the astronaut is stable but that diagnostic uncertainty in microgravity prompted NASA to err on the side of bringing the crew member back to Earth.
—Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 9 Jan. 2026
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 5 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
