To save this word, you'll need to log in.
Legal Definition of contributory fault
: responsibility for aiding in the accomplishment of a bad result (as an injury) specifically : responsibility of a promisor for causing his or her promise to be impossible to perform
Note: A promisor who is guilty of contributory fault cannot invoke the defense of impossibility.
Comments on contributory fault
What made you want to look up contributory fault? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Words for Summer: A Quiz
- Which of the following words means “of or relating to summer”?
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
- Words for Summer: A Quiz
Test your knowledge of words related to the season of longer days and vacations.
Take the quiz - A More Exception(al) Quiz
Which of these things doesn't belong?
Take the quiz - Spell It
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
Take the quiz - Dictionary Devil
The dictionary has been scrambled—can you put it back together?
Play the game
Share contributory fault