human error

American  

[hyoo-muhn er-er] / ˈhyu mən ˈɛr ər /

noun

plural

human errors

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

• human-error adjective

Example Sentences

One explanation for someone else’s information appearing on your tax return is simple human error.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

“This was a release packaging issue caused by human error, not a security breach. We’re rolling out measures to prevent this from happening again,” the spokesman said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

"This was a release packaging issue caused by human error, not a security breach."

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

I think it shows how tragic potentially human error can be in war.

From Slate • Mar. 3, 2026

Although many people greeted the new forensic sciences with reverence, attributing to them a godlike power, they were often susceptible to human error.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann