at fault

Idioms  

1. Responsible for a mistake, trouble, or failure; deserving blame. For example, At least three cars were involved in the accident, so it was hard to determine which driver was at fault, or He kept missing the target and wondered if the sight on his new rifle was at fault. In Britain this usage was formerly considered incorrect but is now acceptable; in America it has been widespread since the mid-1800s. Also see in the wrong.

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Example Sentences

It had tested its products, found no pathogens and wasn’t at fault, McAfee said.

From Salon • Jun. 22, 2026

Ms. Hochul also won modest auto insurance reforms that restrict damages for individuals found mostly at fault for crashes, capping payouts at $100,000 for those driving uninsured, impaired or after committing a felony.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

"This incident went beyond the question of whether individual employees were at fault and exposed a lack of social and historical sensitivity within Starbucks Korea," he said.

From Barron's • May 26, 2026

The company denied it was at fault in some cases and admitted it was at fault in others, often saying it was due to issues with specific adjusters.

From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026

She, if anything, seemed the more conciliatory party, which seemed to disprove the hypothesis that he was at fault.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt