erring
Missing the mark
Erring means making mistakes or doing wrong.
The word carries a gentle, understanding tone—to err is human, after all.
An erring spouse has strayed; an erring judgment proved faulty.
The emphasis falls on the first syllable, rhyming with "airing" rather than "earring."
Homo sapiens individual
- fallibleCapable of error
- imperfectHaving flaws or faults
- flawedHaving faults or imperfections
- mortalSubject to death
prone · susceptible · weakness · limitation · frailty · vulnerability · faultiness · deficiency
Traveling with no fixed course
- deviatingDeparting from standard
- strayingDeparting from course
- veeringChanging direction suddenly
- driftingMoving without purpose
diverging · wayward · astray · off-course · sidetracked · misdirected · meandering · roaming
Foolish, costly mistake
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
- mistakeWrong action or decision
- slipMinor error or misstep
- lapseBrief failure or expiration
miscalculation · misjudgment · gaffe · faux pas · inaccuracy · misunderstanding · misinterpretation · botch
Violation of law or code
- wrongdoingUnethical or illegal action
- sinViolation of divine law
- misdeedImmoral or illegal act
- trespassUnauthorized entry onto property
iniquity · vice · wickedness · immorality · corruption · offense · fault · failing
Remorseful state over misdeeds
- remorseGuilt for wrongdoing
- penitenceRemorse for misdeeds
- regretSorrow over past actions
- repentanceRemorseful rejection of past wrongs
atonement · apology · confession · self-reproach · compunction · guilt · penance · redemption
human
Homo sapiens individual
mortal · prone · susceptible · weakness · limitation · frailty · vulnerability · faultiness · deficiency · shortcoming
wandering
Traveling with no fixed course
drifting · diverging · wayward · astray · off-course · sidetracked · misdirected · meandering · roaming · digressing
blunder
Foolish, costly mistake
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
- mistakeWrong action or decision
- slipMinor error or misstep
lapse · miscalculation · misjudgment · gaffe · faux pas · inaccuracy · misunderstanding · misinterpretation · botch · bungle
transgression
Violation of law or code
- wrongdoingUnethical or illegal action
- sinViolation of divine law
- misdeedImmoral or illegal act
trespass · iniquity · vice · wickedness · immorality · corruption · offense · fault · failing · misconduct
contrition
Remorseful state over misdeeds
repentance · atonement · apology · confession · self-reproach · compunction · guilt · penance · redemption · absolution
- setbacksfailing, back to square one, stuck, losing, stumbles
- at faultguilty, at fault, to blame, culpable, blameworthy
- Going astraywandering, straying, drifting, getting lost, deviating
erringunerring
Consistently accurate, unfailing
infallible · flawless · faultless · impeccable · accurate
- erring on the side of cautionPreferring safety over risk
- erring on the side ofDeliberately choosing more of