Meaning & use

err

verb·Academic

To make a mistake or judge something incorrectly.

See it in a sentence

Even experienced pilots can err under extreme stress and fatigue.

The referee erred badly when he missed the clear foul.

A note on using this word

The phrase "err on the side of caution" means to choose the safer or more careful option when uncertain.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “err”, then compare your use with the examples above.

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