1
as in weakness
a defect in character
the common fault of being quick to judge others
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mistake
an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy
there's a fault somewhere in the program
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in blame
responsibility for wrongdoing or failure
getting the time of the performance wrong was entirely my fault
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in defect
something that spoils the appearance or completeness of a thing
the minor faults in the leather are entirely natural and are what gives it a look different from vinyl
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in responsibility
the state of being held as the cause of something that needs to be set right
the investigator determined that the auto accident was entirely the other driver's fault
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to blame
to express one's unfavorable opinion of the worth or quality of
you should look at your own work before faulting what others have done
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of fault
Matt Emma, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
The script here is too stiffly restrained to a fault to make much of an emotional impact, even as spending time with these actors historically is never without pleasures.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 17 Feb. 2026
Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
Ruud did it better in the first set, an ugly opener for Shelton who double-faulted three times and had 15 unforced errors against 11 winners.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fault
Noun
In a lot of cases, a person may still recover as long as their share of fault stays at 50 percent or less.
—Matt Emma, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
The script here is too stiffly restrained to a fault to make much of an emotional impact, even as spending time with these actors historically is never without pleasures.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 17 Feb. 2026
Verb
Nevertheless, Warsh expressed support for lowering interest rates over the past year and faulted Powell for resisting cuts.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
Ruud did it better in the first set, an ugly opener for Shelton who double-faulted three times and had 15 unforced errors against 11 winners.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fault
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fault
Noun
-
But some analysts say Iran's unprecedented weakness at home could diminish the flexibility of its country's leadership to make the kinds of compromises necessary for a deal.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
17 Feb. 2026
-
But ask anyone who knows him about Kuechly’s weaknesses, and the first thing that might come up is his deflection of praise.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In the dugout, after hitting an RBI single off Zac Gallen, Kyle made the mistake of catching a video of the TV broadcast.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
21 Feb. 2026
-
According to our cleaning pros, these are the most common mistakes people make with comforters, and simple fixes that keep them smelling clean all season.—
Farima Ferguson,
The Spruce,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
If a disagreement surfaces, state your point of view without blame (and be sure to let others share as well).—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
22 Feb. 2026
-
For several weeks, Fanatics took blame for the construction of the new uniforms before MLB and Nike took responsibility for the design and specs of the uniform.—
A.J. Perez,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Under most state consumer protection laws, businesses can’t charge customers for pre-existing defects.—
Christopher Elliott,
Mercury News,
16 Feb. 2026
-
But the document also expresses uncertainty about whether the potential defects constitute a crime, noting that elections in Fulton County have already been the subject of multiple reviews.—
Kate Brumback,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But the responsibility for the sewer line doesn’t rest with just one municipality.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Mayer took his responsibility as a steward for the Grateful Dead’s canon of timeless songs seriously.—
Shirley Halperin,
Rolling Stone,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The move was fiercely criticized by Epstein’s victims and their advocates.—
Michael R. Sisak,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Feb. 2026
-
His role, Reggie Porter Montgomery, was originally played by the late Chadwick Boseman — his future Black Panther costar — who was fired after just one week on set for criticizing Reggie's character arc for playing into racial stereotypes.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Unpredictable funding from Congress compounds these failings.—
Marc Scribner,
Oc Register,
8 Feb. 2026
-
The report claimed these changes were made to minimize the city and fire department’s failings.—
Barnini Chakraborty,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The man is facing a charge of grossly negligent homicide, with state prosecutors in Innsbruck accusing him of making multiple errors, including seeking help too late and not carrying suitable equipment.—
Sophie Tanno,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
-
The poll found that Cornyn, Hunt and Paxton all have a lead over Crockett and Talarico in a hypothetical November matchup, but that their leads are within the poll’s margin of error.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fault.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fault. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
