err on the side of
idiom
: to use or show more of (something) than may be needed so that one can be sure that he or she is using or showing enough of it
It's better to err on the side of generosity than to appear too stingy.
We chose to err on the side of caution when planning our investments.
Examples of err on the side of in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Rather than using the full powers of the statutes Congress has written, agencies will likely err on the side of caution.
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Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 25 June 2024
When faced with an unknown menace, politicians, health advisers, and yes, the general public were bound to err on the side of caution.
—Dan Hannan, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 14 June 2024
Even in other cases in which China does not hold a majority of official debt, China simply has too much economic leverage over borrowers relative to the IMF, and the fund’s staff and leadership will always err on the side of caution when attempting to resolve conflicts between member states.
—Michael Bennon, Foreign Affairs, 22 Aug. 2023
Always err on the side of caution with fertilization: less is more.
—Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 7 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for err on the side of 
Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 25 June 2024
When faced with an unknown menace, politicians, health advisers, and yes, the general public were bound to err on the side of caution.
—Dan Hannan, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 14 June 2024
Even in other cases in which China does not hold a majority of official debt, China simply has too much economic leverage over borrowers relative to the IMF, and the fund’s staff and leadership will always err on the side of caution when attempting to resolve conflicts between member states.
—Michael Bennon, Foreign Affairs, 22 Aug. 2023
Always err on the side of caution with fertilization: less is more.
—Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 7 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for err on the side of
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'err on the side of.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near err on the side of
Cite this Entry
“Err on the side of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/err%20on%20the%20side%20of. Accessed 14 Jul. 2024.
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