margin of error
Americannoun
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Statistics. a deviation above or below a given statistic encompassing the range within which the true value is most likely to fall, equal to one-half the span of the confidence interval.
The poll of likely voters has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
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Also margin for error an amount of extra space, time, resources, etc., allowed to account for mistakes, miscalculations, or altered circumstances.
The margin of error in the restaurant business is usually razor thin.
There’s no margin for error with this new deadline, because you’re handing in final papers the day before grades are due.
Etymology
Origin of margin of error
First recorded in 1855–60
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Polling, limited as it is, has Ms. Graham, 62, and Ms. Andrews, 45, well within the margin of error.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
The 2026 survey was based on some 19,200 face-to-face interviews carried out in 17 countries between May 7 and June 17, with a margin of error of 1 percent.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
Modern energy efficiency codes have lowered the margin of error for builders when it comes to moisture management.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
The poll surveyed 4,207 registered voters in California from Aug. 3 to 9, online in English and Spanish, and has an estimated margin of error of about 2.5 percentage points in either direction.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
Ptolemy and Copernicus had regarded 10 minutes as precisely the acceptable margin of error.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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