fallible
adjective
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
Darren Richman, The Athletic, 20 Jan. 2025
However, human capabilities, like making moral judgments, and using
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AI’s rapid advancement has ignited enthusiasm about its potential to revolutionize corporate decision-making by substituting for expensive, fallible humans.
—Martin Reeves, Harvard Business Review, 11 Dec. 2024
But the weakness of American democracy is also in those words … because the people are fallible.
—Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2025
Nuclear deterrence is an enterprise that requires the involvement of fallible, human organizations.
—Joshua Keating, Vox, 27 May 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Fallible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fallible. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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fallible
adjective
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