human error

American  

[hyoo-muhn er-er] / ˈhju mən ˈɛr ər /

noun

• human errors
  plural

1. a mistake made by a human worker or the propensity of humans to make such mistakes, as opposed to the failure of mechanical or electronic systems or devices.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• human-error
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• human errors
  plural

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

human error

What caused the collision was not immediately clear but experts said it was likely human error.

From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026

The supermarket said it had apologised to Arnold and claimed the mistake was "caused by human error", but critics have called for the technology to be scrapped.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

In an attempt to eliminate human error, this great sport has introduced human error.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026

“I like the challenge system because you still have the human error element to the game,” Smith said.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2026

“This is where human error creeps in,” Beryl says.

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin