by the fault of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "by the fault of" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it in a sentence when you are assigning blame to someone or something for a particular event. For example, "The accident was caused by the fault of the driver's negligence."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The poems are tied together by the "fault" of the title, which recalls the character in Auden's The Orators who addressed his letter "to a wound".

The Guardian - Books

One shot of an indigenous woman seated against a wrought-iron fence that had long been titled "By the Fault of Others" turned out to have "Death Penalty" (Slide 6) as its original title.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

The continued identification of the South, specifically Alabama and Mississippi, by the faults of their past, harms the country as a whole.

The New York Times

-Bad behavior by children is the fault of the parents.

The New York Times

This small number was by no means the fault of flimsy Japanese construction.

The New Yorker

This is by no means the fault of the cast, which features four winning female stars.

The New York Times

A lack of diversity in my own life that is, by no means, the fault of my progressive parents, but rather a broken and still segregated school system.

Independent

This is by no means the fault of the researchers and state or federal agencies conducting these investigations, but rather a reflection of the fundamental methodological problems pertaining to this type of activity.

Critical Reviews in Toxicology

The failure in communication by the Democrats is the fault of President Obama, not Ms. Pelosi.

The New York Times

Overwhelmingly, we've come to insist that false allegations by children are mainly the fault of adults.

The Guardian - Film

It's by no means all the fault of Brazil, whose government, badly strapped for cash, is doing its best to save the Paralympic Games.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When assigning blame, ensure that you have evidence to support your claim of fault. Using "by the fault of" should be reserved for situations where responsibility can be clearly demonstrated.

Common error

Avoid using passive voice constructions that obscure the responsible party when using "by the fault of". Instead, clearly identify who or what is at fault to maintain clarity and directness in your writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "by the fault of" primarily functions as a prepositional phrase that introduces the cause or agent responsible for a negative outcome. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and serves to assign blame or responsibility. The examples show it used to attribute problems to specific sources.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Encyclopedias

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "by the fault of" is a prepositional phrase used to assign blame or responsibility for a negative event or outcome. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness, although it appears with relative infrequency. It's most commonly found in News & Media contexts, as well as Encyclopedias and Science publications. When using this phrase, ensure there's clear evidence to support the claim of fault and avoid obscuring the responsible party with passive voice. Alternatives like "due to the error of" or "caused by the flaw of" can be considered depending on the specific nuances you want to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

caused by the flaw of

Substitutes "fault" with "flaw", indicating a defect or imperfection.

due to the error of

Replaces "fault" with "error", emphasizing a mistake as the cause.

owing to the responsibility of

Focuses on who holds the blame.

because of the mistake made by

More verbose, highlighting the action of making a mistake.

imputable to the mistake of

Formal synonym for "attributable to the fault of".

attributable to the negligence of

Uses a more formal term, "negligence", implying a lack of care.

through the failing of

Similar to "on account of the failing of", but slightly more direct.

on account of the failing of

Replaces "fault" with "failing", suggesting a deficiency.

resulting from the deficiency of

Emphasizes that something happened because of the problem or shortcoming.

as a consequence of the slip-up by

Informal alternative, replacing "fault" with "slip-up".

FAQs

What does "by the fault of" mean?

The phrase "by the fault of" indicates that someone or something is responsible for a mistake, error, or negative outcome. It assigns blame or causation for a particular event.

How can I use "by the fault of" in a sentence?

Use "by the fault of" to specify who or what caused a problem. For example, "The delay was "caused by the fault of" the airline's scheduling errors."

What are some alternatives to "by the fault of"?

Alternatives include "due to the error of", "attributable to the negligence of", or "caused by the flaw of". The best choice depends on the specific context and desired level of formality.

Is it always appropriate to use "by the fault of"?

While grammatically correct, using "by the fault of" might sound accusatory. Consider softening the language if assigning blame isn't the primary goal, or if you lack definitive proof of fault.