sole fault

USAGE SUMMARY

"sole fault" is a perfectly correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is often used to refer to something that is the fault of only one person or party, as opposed to being shared or collective. For example, "The accident was due to Jack's sole fault; he had been warned not to drive after drinking."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

His sole fault is a liking for anachronistic cliché (such as "performance-enhancing drug"), which patronises the past without flattering the present.

The Guardian - Books

But surely this is not the sole fault of social media companies, or is it?

Forbes

Le Figaro, a French newspaper reports that just seeking an extra-martial relationship was offensive behavior towards the husband and ruled that the divorce was the sole fault of the wife.

Huffington Post

Miller argued that the damages allegedly suffered by Thompson -- which include Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) from living through and running away from the December 2013 Casselton, North Dakota oil train explosion -- were "caused or contributed to by Plaintiff's own contributory or sole fault".

Huffington Post

Once the problem is said to you, ask the person if there was any fault of him/her behind the cause of the problem (But remember, never, NEVER sound as if the sole fault was that person's, or else you'll depress the person even more).

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

"We're not singling out Pets of Bel Air as the sole operation at fault," Mr. Pacelle said.

The New York Times

Saying sorry should never be a one-way street, even if you're the sole party at fault.

WikiHow

Winning was the sole obsession, to a fault".

The New York Times - Sports

They seem to exist for the sole purpose of finding fault with positive ideas.

Los Angeles Times

Black dashed lines are thrust faults that sole into the décollement.

Earth, Planets and Space

The faults are sole out of the top of Rosetta formation.

Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When assigning blame, use "sole fault" to clearly indicate that one party bears the entire responsibility, avoiding ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "sole fault" when multiple factors or parties contributed to an outcome. This can lead to inaccurate blame and overlook contributing factors.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "sole fault" functions as a noun phrase that identifies the singular entity or factor responsible for an error, mistake, or negative outcome. As Ludwig AI shows, it's employed to pinpoint complete responsibility.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "sole fault" is a phrase used to indicate that a single person or entity is entirely responsible for a mistake or error. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically sound and acceptable in written English. While relatively rare, the phrase appears in news articles, wikis and scientific publications. Alternative phrases include "exclusive responsibility" and "entirely to blame". When using "sole fault", ensure that the responsibility genuinely lies with one party, as misapplication can lead to inaccurate blame.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

solely responsible

Directly states that responsibility is limited to one entity.

the only one at fault

Directly points out that only one party is to blame

exclusive responsibility

Emphasizes that the responsibility belongs to one party only, similar to "sole fault".

entirely to blame

Focuses on the aspect of blame, indicating that one party is completely responsible.

only accountable party

Highlights the accountability aspect, specifying that only one party is answerable.

single-handedly responsible

Emphasizes the singular effort leading to the fault.

single source of error

Shifts the focus to the error's origin, pinpointing one cause.

unilateral error

Highlights that error belongs to only one entity.

individual liability

Highlights the legal aspect of being responsible.

personal failing

Emphasizes the personal aspect of fault.

FAQs

How can I use "sole fault" in a sentence?

You can use "sole fault" to indicate that one party is entirely responsible for something, as in "The accident was the driver's "sole fault" because they were speeding".

What phrases are similar to "sole fault"?

Alternatives to "sole fault" include "exclusive responsibility", "entirely to blame", and "solely responsible".

Is it appropriate to use "sole fault" in formal writing?

Yes, "sole fault" is appropriate in formal writing when you need to clearly assign complete responsibility to one party. It's more direct than saying "partially responsible" or "contributed to the issue".

What's the difference between "sole fault" and "shared responsibility"?

"Sole fault" means one party is entirely responsible, while "shared responsibility" implies that multiple parties contributed to an outcome and must share the accountability.