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Meaning & use

infallibility

noun·Advancedformal

Last updated

UK/ɪnˌfæləˈbɪləti/
US/ɪnˌfæləˈbɪləti/

Meanings

  1. noununcountable

    The quality of never being wrong or making a mistake.

    Grammar: No plural: nobody can claim infallibility.

    Patterns

    • claim infallibility
    • the infallibility of someone

    The scientist warned against any belief in the infallibility of computers.

    Nobody can claim infallibility, not even experts.

    He acted as though his infallibility were beyond question.

  2. noununcountablereligion

    In the Catholic Church, the teaching that the pope cannot err when he declares a doctrine on faith or morals.

    Grammar: Often written as papal infallibility.

    Patterns

    • papal infallibility
    • the doctrine of infallibility

    Papal infallibility was formally defined in 1870.

    The theology class studied the doctrine of infallibility.

    Some historians question how the idea of infallibility developed.

Common combinations

claim infallibility
No leader should claim infallibility.
papal infallibility
The council debated papal infallibility.
myth of infallibility
The report exposed the myth of infallibility around the machine.
belief in infallibility
His belief in his own infallibility cost the company dearly.
presumed infallibility
The judge's presumed infallibility was challenged.

Synonyms and how they differ

perfection
Perfection means having no flaws at all, while infallibility means being unable to make mistakes.
inerrancy
Inerrancy is a more specialized word, used for sacred texts being free of error, while infallibility applies to people or institutions.
unerringness
Unerringness is rare and stresses never missing the target, whereas infallibility is the common formal word.
certainty
Certainty is feeling sure, while infallibility is actually being incapable of error.

Opposites

fallibility

Word family

infallible adjective
incapable of making mistakes
infallibly adverb
without ever being wrong
fallible adjective
capable of making mistakes
fallibility noun
the tendency to make mistakes

Commonly confused: infallibility or infallible?

infallibility vs infallible

Infallible is the adjective, while infallibility is the noun for the quality.

Practice

What does a person claiming infallibility say about themselves?

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