“Fault” vs. “Mistake”: What’s the Difference?

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The difference between “fault” and “mistake”

  • The main difference between fault and mistake is that fault implies a level of culpability, while mistake is often innocent.
  • Fault usually involves a responsibility for a negative outcome, while a mistake can result in either a positive or negative outcome.
  • In legal terms, fault can result in liability or legal consequences, while a mistake may not have the same legal implications.
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What is the definition of “fault” and “mistake”?

Fault
  • Fault refers to a responsibility or blame for a certain action or result.
  • It can also be defined as a defect or flaw in an entity that results in failure or malfunction.
  • Fault can be deliberate or accidental, but it often implies a certain level of culpability.
Mistake
  • Mistake refers to an error or incorrect action that is usually unintentional.
  • It can be a result of misunderstanding, carelessness, or lack of knowledge.
  • Mistake often does not carry the same level of blame as fault and can be easily corrected.

Which is the more popular variant on the Internet?

“Mistake” is the more popular variant on the web.
Fault
328,000,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. It's not your fault that it rained on your parade.
  2. The fault in the machinery led to a complete shutdown of the factory.
  3. I take full responsibility for the fault in our project timeline.
More popular
Mistake
514,000,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. My biggest mistake was to trust that colleague with confidential information.
  2. The restaurant made a mistake with my order and I had to wait for it to be corrected.
  3. Don't be too hard on yourself for making a mistake, it happens to everyone.
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