Fallible means capableable to do something or have a particular quality of making mistakes or failing. It is often used when talking about people, judgmentthe ability to make decisions or form opinions, or systems that are not perfectwithout any flaws, errors, or problems.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-18. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈfæləbəl/
Easy pronunciation: FAL-uh-buhl (approximate spelling).
Stress: Primary stress is on the first syllable.
Use this pronunciation for the adjective meaning likely to fail or make errors.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-18. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Fallible Meaning
able to make mistakes; not perfect
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: likely to fail or make errors
Example: Even experienced editors are fallible sometimes.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- imperfect — Can fit the idea of not being without mistakes, though it is broader and not always a direct substitute.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-18. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Fallible
Meaning 2
human rather than divine; weak or limited in a human way
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: wanting in moral strength, courage, or will; having the attributes of man as opposed to e.g. divine beings
Example: I'm only a fallible human.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- frail — Works in the sense of physically or morally weak, but it is not a full synonym in every context.
- weak — Fits the sense of lacking strength or resolve, but it is broader and less precise.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-18. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Fallible Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- imperfect
human rather than divine; weak or limited in a human way
- frail
- weak
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-18. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Using fallible to mean physically weak in all contexts. Its most common modern meaning is 'likely to make mistakes.'
- Confusing fallible with infallible, which means unable to make mistakes.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-18. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does fallible mean?
Fallible means capable of making mistakes or failing. It is often used to describe people and human judgment.
What is a simple synonym for fallible?
A simple synonym is "imperfect," though it is a broader word and not always an exact match.
Is fallible the opposite of infallible?
Yes. Fallible means able to make mistakes, while infallible means unable to make mistakes.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-18. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
