error message

British

noun

a message displayed on a visual display unit, printout, etc, indicating that an incorrect instruction has been given to the computer

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

The link to her official Instagram account leads to an error message.

From Los Angeles Times

Several fans said they were shown an error message as they tried to play it - something that often happens with big new releases on streaming platforms.

From BBC

The website leads to an error message that reads “www.howards.com unexpectedly closed the connection.”

From Los Angeles Times

But UK users trying to access Imgur on Tuesday were met with an error message saying "content not available in your region" - with Imgur content shared on other websites also no longer showing.

From BBC

However, some people have reported problems with NatWest's online service too, with one sharing an error message which they said was displayed when they tried to make a payment.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023