fault

1. noun

1)

he has his faults

Syn:

defect, failing, imperfection, flaw, blemish, shortcoming, weakness, frailty, foible, vice

Ant:

merit, strength

2)

engineers have located the fault

Syn:

defect, flaw, imperfection, bug; error, mistake, inaccuracy; informal glitch, gremlin

3)

it was not my fault

Syn:

responsibility, liability, culpability, blameworthiness, guilt

4)

don't blame one child for another's faults

Syn:

misdeed, wrongdoing, offense, misdemeanor, misconduct, indiscretion, peccadillo, transgression; informal no-no

See note at sin

2. verb

you couldn't fault any of the players

- at fault

- to a fault

Syn:

find fault with, criticize, attack, censure, condemn, reproach; complain about, quibble about, moan about; informal knock, slam, gripe about, beef about, pick holes in

••

fault, blemish, defect, failing, flaw, foible, shortcoming

No one is perfect. But when it comes to cataloguing your own imperfections, it's best to start with your foibles — the slight weaknesses or eccentricities for which you will be most quickly forgiven. You also have a good chance of being forgiven for your shortcomings, which are not necessarily damaging to others (his ardent devotion to his dog was a shortcoming that was readily overlooked). Failing suggests a more severe shortcoming, usually with more serious consequences (chronic tardiness was one of her failings) , but a failing can also be a weakness of character that you're not responsible for and perhaps not even aware of (pride is a common failing among those who have met with great success early in life). Fault also implies failure — but not necessarily a serious failure — to reach moral perfection (his major fault was his outspokenness). While fault usually indicates something inherent in your nature rather than external to it, a flaw can be either superficial (a flaw in his otherwise immaculate appearance) or profound (a personality flaw that made her impossible to work with), and it can refer to things as well as people (a flaw in the table's finish). A blemish is usually a physical flaw (a facial blemish), although it can be anything that disfigures or mars the perfection or someone or something (a blemish on her otherwise spotless academic record). You can get rid of a blemish and even overcome your shortcomings, but a defect is a flaw so serious that you may never be able to get rid of it (a defect in his hearing).