to a fault

Idioms  

1. Excessively, extremely, as in He was generous to a fault. This phrase, always qualifying an adjective, has been so used since the mid-1700s. Indeed, Oliver Goldsmith had this precise usage in The Life of Richard Nash (1762).

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

to a fault

Ladysmith Black Mambazo paid tribute to Mazibuko on Monday, describing him as "kind to a fault" and a "saint" who acted as a "wise elder" for the group's younger members.

From BBC ● Apr. 6, 2026

But due to a fault in processing procedures, if you file your return in the final hours or days before the deadline, you risk being mistakenly classified as a late-filer and charged a 5% penalty.

From Barron's ● Mar. 28, 2026

Ms. Findlay’s direction is patient to a fault.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 19, 2026

You are, almost to a fault, the caretaker of your loved ones.

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 17, 2026

He could be generous and caring to a fault, but he had a darker side as well, characterized by monomania, impatience, and unwavering self-absorption, qualities that seemed to intensify through his college years.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer