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

See Examples For:

at fault

Shanahan was holding and using a cellphone at the time of the crash but was not at fault, according to the California Crash Reporting System, a statewide database of collisions.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

The damages awarded for the period Google was deemed at fault -- 15 years in the UK and 10 years in Sweden and Denmark -- were also lower than what Pricerunner had requested, he noted.

From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026

The coroner said the jury cannot find anyone at fault or apportion blame in their inquest verdict.

From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026

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

From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026

He sits there, still struggling to absorb the information, feeling awkward, oddly ashamed, at fault.

From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri