error

noun

er·​ror ˈer-ər 

ˈe-rər

1

a

: an act or condition of ignorant or imprudent deviation from a code of behavior

b

: an act involving an unintentional deviation from truth or accuracy

made an error in adding up the bill

c

: an act that through ignorance, deficiency, or accident departs from or fails to achieve what should be done

an error in judgment

: such as

(1)

: a defensive misplay other than a wild pitch or passed ball made by a baseball player when normal play would have resulted in an out or prevented an advance by a base runner

(2)

: the failure of a player (as in tennis) to make a successful return of a ball during play

d

: a mistake in the proceedings of a court of record in matters of law or of fact

2

a

: the quality or state of erring

the map is in error

b

Christian Science : illusion about the nature of reality that is the cause of human suffering : the contradiction of truth

c

: an instance of false belief

3

: something produced by mistake

a typographical error

especially : a postage stamp exhibiting a consistent flaw (such as a wrong color) in its manufacture

4

a

: the difference between an observed or calculated value and a true value

specifically : variation in measurements, calculations, or observations of a quantity due to mistakes or to uncontrollable factors

b

: the amount of deviation from a standard or specification

5

: a deficiency or imperfection in structure or function

an error of metabolism

errorless

ˈer-ər-ləs 

ˈe-rər-

adjective

Synonyms

• blunder
• bobble
• boob [British]
• boo-boo
• brick
• clanger [British]
• clinker
• fault
• flub
• fluff
• fumble
• gaff
• gaffe
• goof
• inaccuracy
• lapse
• miscue
• misstep
• mistake
• oversight
• screwup
• slip
• slipup
• stumble
• trip

Choose the Right Synonym for error

error, mistake, blunder, slip, lapse mean a departure from what is true, right, or proper.

error suggests the existence of a standard or guide and a straying from the right course through failure to make effective use of this.

procedural errors

mistake implies misconception or inadvertence and usually expresses less criticism than error.

dialed the wrong number by mistake

blunder regularly imputes stupidity or ignorance as a cause and connotes some degree of blame.

diplomatic blunders

slip stresses inadvertence or accident and applies especially to trivial but embarrassing mistakes.

a slip of the tongue

lapse stresses forgetfulness, weakness, or inattention as a cause.

a lapse in judgment

Examples of error in a Sentence

I made an error in my calculations.

They uncovered several errors in his report to the committee.

The paper contains numerous spelling errors.

horrifying cases of hospital error

The shortstop was charged with an error.

Recent Examples on the Web

First baseman Ryan Noda threw high on a potential double-play ball in the third inning, then Nick Allen committed a fielding error in the eighth inning. —Staff and Wire Reports, The Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2024

At the time, a Verizon spokesperson told USA TODAY that the issue was not related to net neutrality court proceedings, but was due to a customer service error, and that Verizon had a practice for removing data restrictions during emergency situations. —Betty Lin-Fisher and Amritpal Kaur Sandhu-Longoria, USA TODAY, 25 Apr. 2024

The statistical formula for a poll's margin of error — a number that pollsters (usually) release that tells us how much their poll could be off due to random sampling error alone — uses a square-root function, so our weighting does, too. —G. Elliott Morris, ABC News, 25 Apr. 2024

Witt quickly stole second base and advanced to third on a throwing error. —Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 25 Apr. 2024

By carefully tracking this drift, the researchers are able to automatically adjust the transformation matrix to account for the error. —IEEE Spectrum, 23 Apr. 2024

Austin Riley’s subsequent fielding error on a ground ball off the bat of Bryan De La Cruz put runners on first and second with no out. —Rick Farlow, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2024

After boughs from Birnam Wood descend on Dunsinane, Macbeth is felled as much by an error in interpretation as by his rival’s sword. —Rhoda Feng, Washington Post, 14 Apr. 2024

Lucy Sherburne reached on an error and scored on a single by Ashley Wood. —Jim Lindgren, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English errour, from Anglo-French, from Latin error, from errare

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing error

• error bar
• error in judgment
• error message
• human error
• in error
• standard error
• systematic error
• the error of one's ways
• trial and error
• type I error
• type II error
• typographical error
• writ of error

Kids Definition

error

noun

er·​ror ˈer-ər 

1

a

: departure from a code of behavior

the error of their ways

b

: an unintentional departure from truth, accuracy, or a goal

made an error in my adding

c

: a misplay made by a fielder in baseball

2

: the quality or state of erring

3

: a false belief or a set of false beliefs

4

: something produced by mistake

5

: the difference between an observed or calculated value and a true value

especially : variation in measurements, calculations, or observations of a quantity as a result of mistakes or uncontrollable conditions

6

: the amount of error

errorless

-ləs 

adjective

Medical Definition

error

noun

er·​ror ˈer-ər 

: a deficiency or imperfection in structure or function

inborn errors of metabolism

Legal Definition

error

noun

er·​ror

: an act that through ignorance, deficiency, or accident departs from or fails to achieve what should be done

procedural errors

especially : a mistake made by a lower court in conducting judicial proceedings or making findings in a case

to compel to conclusion that a manifest error has been done

—Moses v. Burgin, 445 F.2d 369 (1971)

—often used without an article

had been error to give the jury special interrogatories

—K. A. Cohen

; see also assignment of error, clearly erroneous

Note: Generally a party must object to an error at trial in order to raise it as an issue on appeal.

— clear error

: an error made by a judge in his or her findings of fact which is such that it leaves the reviewing court with the firm and definite conviction that a mistake has been made

Note: A clear error may or may not warrant reversal.

— fundamental error

: plain error in this entry —used especially in criminal cases

— harmless error

: an error that does not affect a substantial right or change the outcome of a trial and does not warrant reversal or other modification of the lower court's decision on appeal

— invited error

: an error resulting from a party's own request for or encouragement of an action by the court

Note: A party may not seek relief based on invited error that he or she has induced.

— manifest error

: an error that is obvious and indisputable and that warrants reversal on appeal

— plain error

: an obvious and prejudicial error that affects the substantial rights of the parties and that results or probably results in a miscarriage of justice

Note: Plain error warrants reversal on appeal even in the absence of objection to the error at trial.

— prejudicial error

: an error that affects or presumptively affects the outcome of a trial

— reversible error

: a substantial and prejudicial error warranting reversal on appeal