human error

noun

: a person's mistake rather than on the failure of a machine

The accident was blamed on human error.

Examples of human error in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Mechanical failure, human error and a host of other conditions can conspire to shut down a vessel’s engine, seize up its propulsion system or thwart its crew’s ability to steer. —

USA TODAY, 11 Apr. 2024 It is estimated that, by next year over half of significant cyber incidents will be caused by human error or skill shortages1. —

Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Apr. 2024 With more than 130 clients that hail from the majority of the world’s top 20 pharmaceutical companies, that was a hefty task but also left more opportunities for human error, a major challenge for something as regulated as the pharma industry. —

Stephanie Cain, Fortune, 4 Mar. 2024 There have been some notable failures in the system over the last several months, including a number of derailments owing to various causes — human error, faulty tracks, vandalism and perhaps, in one case, loose bolts. —

David Waldstein, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2024 There are a variety of reasons mishaps occur, which can include human error, mechanical failure, procedural guidance, or training. —

Laura Strickler, NBC News, 23 Feb. 2024 But safety failures still happen, whether from human error or natural disasters such as earthquakes bringing the mechanical sensors offline – and that’s where our plant sensors could come in. —

Neal Stewart, The Conversation, 21 Feb. 2024 This stage often reveals website tagging, tracking or data integration issues from human error or platform updates. —

David Klein, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024 Many of the incident reports blame human error and inattention. —

USA TODAY, 11 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'human error.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.