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
Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2025
In Pynchon’s best works, his bleakness is brightened, in both senses—illuminated and made lighter—by the sweep of his vision and his affection for his fallible, foolhardy, well-meaning, wildly outmatched main characters.
—Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
CEOs, like anyone else, are human and fallible.
—Julian Hayes Ii, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
The leaders who thrive will be those who treat AI agents not as magical black boxes, but as capable yet fallible teammates: giving them clear objectives, the right roles, structured onboarding, iterative coaching, and informed trust.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fallible
Cite this Entry
“Fallible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fallible. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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fallible
adjective
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