runtimeerror

noun

UK /ˈrʌn.taɪm ˈer.ər/

US /ˈrʌn.taɪm ˈer.ɚ/

A runtime error is a mistake that makes a computer program stop working while it is running.

The game crashed with a runtime error just as I reached the last level.

SYNONYMS

execution error program crash software fault run-time failure

RELATED WORDS

bug exception debugging crash compiler error

OTHER MEANINGS

2. An error detected while a program is executing rather than while it is being compiled.

Unlike a syntax error, a runtime error only shows up after the code starts running.

3. A message a program shows when it cannot continue because of an unexpected problem.

She copied the runtime error into a search engine to find a fix.

4. A failure caused by bad input or missing resources during a program's operation.

The app threw a runtime error when it tried to open a file that wasn't there.