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infallible Definition

in·fal·lible (in falə bəl)

adjective

  1. incapable of error; never wrong
  2. not liable to fail, go wrong, make a mistake, etc.; dependable; reliable; sure
  3. R.C.Ch. incapable of error in setting forth doctrine on faith and morals: said esp. of the pope speaking ex cathedra (i.e., in his official capacity)

Etymology: ML infallibilis: see in- & fallible

noun

an infallible person or thing

infallible Related Forms

in·fal′·libil·ity noun in·fal·libly adverb

infallible Synonyms

infallible

modif.

infallible Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • consider: Routine papal teaching, however, is not considered infallible.
  • make: A dozen good articles do not make an author infallible.

Used with adjective complement

consider: Logic behind this practice has always been considered infallible.

Modifies a noun

  • revelation: The Holy Scriptures are the infallible revelation of His will.
  • truth: That the bible is divinely inspired, the only infallible truth of God.
  • proof: They knew it was the Lord by " many infallible proofs " .
  • rule: Rather, establishing the validity of a premise requires an induction, for which there are no infallible rules.
  • guide: Jones, the ship's cat, is an infallible guide to the nearness of the alien.
  • word: Do not swap the infallible word of God for fallible human theories.

Modifying Another Word

  • almost: I resolved on overcoming her by an almost infallible method.
  • not: Review teams are not infallible, they don't always spot all of the problems.
  • only: Rather, they meant that the Bible is the only infallible authority in the church.
  • n't: And just to prove that Michael Bird's was n't infallible.. .
  • always: You need to bear in mind that your judgment is not always infallible.
  • therefore: There is only a problem for people like Phibber who take the Bible to be the word of God and therefore infallible.

Noun used with modifier

means: Like any other book it is by no means infallible and our increased understanding of some of these past events inevitably shows shortcomings.