# err

/ˈɛɹ/ (US) · /ˈɜː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/err
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to make a mistake

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to make a mistake or be wrong about something.

For teachers: to make an error in judgment or action. Often used in the idiom 'to err on the side of' to describe choosing a safer or more generous option.

- It is better to err on the side of caution when driving in the snow.
- The committee decided to err on the side of generosity, awarding the grant to several borderline candidates despite the budget constraints.

### 2. to do wrong or sin

verb · CEFR C2 · Formal · Literary

to do something that is morally wrong or to break a religious rule.

For teachers: to transgress a moral or religious code. Frequently encountered in the proverb 'to err is human, to forgive divine'.

- The priest reminded the people that all humans err at some point.
- In his final sermon, the minister spoke of the inherent tendency of the soul to err when separated from its community.

## Examples

- It is better to err on the side of caution.
- The judge noted that the lower court did not err in its interpretation of the new law.
- While the committee sought to be perfectly fair, they knew that to err is human and prepared a robust appeals process for any disputed decisions.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.