How to Use failing that in a Sentence

failing that

idiom

• Guys who can beat a shift or, failing that, beat out a bunt.
  — Dallas News, 20 July 2022
• Or, failing that, throw it deep into the garbage where pets can’t get to it.
  — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2024
• And, failing that, even bigger vats of liquid are on the way.
  — Charlie Wood, Popular Science, 30 Nov. 2020
• For decades, you would have been laughed out of business school for failing that one.
  — Alan Murray, Fortune, 26 Jan. 2024
• Try to speak with her alone — or, failing that, address a note only to her.
  — Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 20 June 2024
• Their mission was to prevent the murder of the host but, failing that, to solve his murder.
  — Andrew Wilson, Star Tribune, 13 Sep. 2020
• To save money on books, Meck checks libraries first, but failing that spends around $15 per book.
  — Tanyel Mustafa, refinery29.com, 22 Feb. 2024
• As ever the best bet is to go play on the new map to figure it all out, but failing that take a look at the official patch notes.
  — Mike Stubbs, Forbes, 21 Apr. 2023
• For years, failing that test usually meant getting kicked out on Day 1.
  — Ernesto Londoño, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2023
• His lawyers are appealing the decision, but failing that, he will be tried as an adult for murder.
  — Cameron Knight, Cincinnati.com, 8 June 2020
• Or, failing that, at least some halfway funny dialogue to toss around.
  — Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2023
• Even better: Spend your leisure time away from devices entirely or, failing that, on devices that can’t run work tools.
  — Justin Pot, Wired, 19 Feb. 2022
• Apple tends to prefer a Tuesday special event, or failing that a Wednesday.
  — David Phelan, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2022
• That could bring on another round of lockdowns or, failing that, lead consumers to choose to stay at home for their own protection, limiting the extent of the rebound.
  — The Economist, 11 June 2020
• Some items can be discarded on a dinner plate, but, failing that, a guest should request a better receptacle.
  — Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2023
• On a big cable car network, Ho said rescuers could try to gain access to a gondola along the cables and lower people via ropes, or failing that, send a helicopter.
  — Salman Masood, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Aug. 2023
• Truth and facts have been devalued to the point that a major government agency has to tweet colloquial common sense just to try to convince people to do the right thing — failing that, at least not doing the wrong thing.
  — Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 2 Sep. 2021
• Most reality programs today need an arc—or, failing that, a gimmick.
  — WIRED, 29 Oct. 2023
• But their protection against infection from the coronavirus is transient, and can falter as new variants of the virus emerge — a failing that has prompted talk of regular booster shots.
  — Apoorva Mandavilli, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2022
• Notably, students in seventh grade math continued to struggle most, with roughly 40% of students failing that exam.
  — Dallas News, 1 July 2022
• And further, Petersen links burnout with a need people feel to always be working productively or, failing that, to be optimizing their mind, body, or social status in some way.
  — Joe Pinsker, The Atlantic, 15 Jan. 2021
• Best to solicit a woman for constructive fashion opinions, or failing that, children, who will be brutally honest with theirs.
  — Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 17 Apr. 2024
• Another was that, in order to trigger the desegregation process, parties had either to petition their local school boards or, failing that, to bring suit in federal court.
  — Louis Menand, The New Yorker, 31 July 2023
• And failing that, aim to at least keep your credit card balances below 30% of your available credit line for each card, which demonstrates responsible borrowing behavior.
  — Mia Taylor, Fortune, 4 Jan. 2023
• Or, failing that, running your company into the ground in spectacular fashion while screwing over your investors and employees.
  — Meredith Blakestaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2022
• By being treated well and offered psychological safety, employees can cast off the fears associated with failing that hold them back, and reach their full potential.
  — Jack Kelly, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2021
• Plan a vacation with plenty of luxury and not too much rushing around, like a relaxing, indulgent adult holiday at an exclusive resort with no kids or, failing that, an upscale hotel with babysitters.
  — Isabelle Kliger, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 July 2022
• Parents had to ask permission to attend another public school, or failing that opportunity, leave to find another, costly alternative if that school didn’t work for their student.
  — Janine Yass, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2021
• Shippers need commitments honored; failing that demands regulatory oversight.
  — WSJ, 4 Oct. 2021

Last Updated: 13 Dec 2024