error

mistake / inaccuracy / fault

[C/U] Both

pl: errors

An error is a deviation from what is right, true, or expected. It carries a sense of failure in accuracy or logic, often implying a specific point of failure rather than a general state of being wrong.

In technical and scientific contexts, it is neutral and clinical, referring to the measurable difference between a result and the truth (as in "margin of error"). In computing, it signals a breach of protocol or syntax that prevents a process from completing.

Compared to "mistake," which often feels more personal or human-driven, "error" frequently suggests a systemic, procedural, or mathematical failure. While you might make a mistake in judgment, a computer generates an error.

Countable when referring to a specific mistake, such as a typo in a letter or a wrong turn on a map. Uncountable when referring to the general state of being mistaken or a statistical deviation, such as 'a margin of error' or 'trial and error'.

💬Casual Conversation

🎬Tuesday afternoon, Karen is at a PTA meeting while Eleanor is struggling with her tablet at home.

Eleanor Smith

KAREN WHY DOES MY SCREEN SAY SYSTEM ERROR?? I CANT GET ON FACEBOOK.

Karen Smith

I'm literally in a meeting. Just reboot it and stop stressing me out.

Meanings

Nounmistake

A mistake; an act, assertion, or belief that is mistaken.

The accountant discovered a clerical error in the final balance sheet.

Nouninaccuracy

The amount by which a measurement or calculation differs from the true value.

The margin of error for the poll was plus or minus three percent.

Nounfault

A deviation from accuracy or correctness; a fault in a system, especially a computer program.

The software crashed due to a syntax error in the code.

Examples