at fault

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.

Example Sentences

But her dream debut was quickly tarnished as Brazil went 2-0 up within 18 minutes, putting England on the ropes - though Keating was not at fault.

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Brenda remains steadfast: In addition to a proper cash settlement, she insists on receiving an apology and a promise the firm at fault will remedy its harmful program.

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Just under half of the time, officers were found to be at least partly at fault.

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“That ultimately means that the already weak civil cases against the government became even weaker,” he said, “because now you have the person who’s really at fault for all this.”

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When private utilities are at fault, the resulting payouts can make it easier to construct a replacement.

Read more on Los Angeles Times