Cool MateFault vs No-ball
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Fault
Top 1,000 (very common)B2noun
No-ball
Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Most common: Fault
| Fault | No-ball | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/fɔːlt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/fɔːlt/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ˈnəʊ.bɔːl//🇺🇸 //ˈnoʊ.bɔl// |
| Meaning | A mistake or a problem in something. | A type of illegal bowl in cricket that allows a free hit. |
| Example | The engineer quickly identified the fault in the electricity supply. | The umpire called it a no-ball for overstepping the crease. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Beyond 10,000 (less common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | - |
| Part of speech | noun | |
| Collocations | stupid, entire, lie with somebody, at fault, through somebody’s fault, without fault, be all somebody’s fault, be entirely somebody’s fault, be largely somebody’s fault, big, great, moral, have, be blind to, overlook, fault in, for all somebody’s faults, to a fault, major, minor, dangerous, have, develop, look for, occur, lie in something, fault in, fault with, for all its faults, double, foot, serve, earthquake, geological, line, scarp, system | call a no-ball, bowl a no-ball, free hit after a no-ball |
| Antonyms | merit, virtue, advantage | - |
| Common mistakes | Confusing 'fault' with 'error' — 'fault' often implies blame., Using 'fault' inappropriately as a verb instead of a noun., Misplacing the article — 'the fault' vs. 'fault'. | Confusing 'no-ball' with 'wide ball' in cricket., Misusing 'no-ball' in non-cricketing contexts., Assuming all deliveries that don't count as runs are 'no-balls'. |
| Usage notes | Use 'fault' in both formal and informal conversations when discussing blame or a defect. Avoid using it in overly casual contexts. | Used mainly in cricket contexts. Appropriate in discussions about game rules but may not be familiar to non-cricket audiences. |
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Frequently asked questions: Fault vs No-ball
What's the difference between Fault and No-ball?
Fault: A mistake or a problem in something. No-ball: A type of illegal bowl in cricket that allows a free hit.
Which is more common: Fault and No-ball?
Fault is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Fault: The engineer quickly identified the fault in the electricity supply. No-ball: The umpire called it a no-ball for overstepping the crease.
Can I use Fault and No-ball interchangeably?
Not always. Fault and No-ball are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.