1
as in to die
to stop functioning
my car failed just as I was about to head to work
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to collapse
to be unsuccessful
despite all the publicity, the movie failed miserably at the box office
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to disappoint
to fall short in satisfying the expectation or hope of
although the minor-league franchise continues to fail local fans, hope springs eternal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to weaken
to lose bodily strength or vigor
ever since she reached the age of 90, Grandma has been noticeably failing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to forget
to miss the opportunity or obligation
failed to mention that he was looking for new job
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fail
Reese Witherspoon never fails to inspire my wardrobe, and her fall-worthy outfit is no different.
—
Nicol Natale, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025
The Emperor Titus attempted but failed to revive Pompeii and its sibling town Herculaneum soon after the catastrophe, leaving the desolate region largely abandoned until its rediscovery in 1748.
—Andrew Paul Aug 7, Popular Science, 7 Aug. 2025
Two stations out of six shut down in September 2022 as funding streams failed to keep apace with expenditures.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Additionally, the federal investigation and the decision to halt funding to UCLA came after a legal settlement with three Jewish students and a Jewish professor worth $6 million for failing to protect their civil rights.
—Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fail
Nicol Natale, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025
The Emperor Titus attempted but failed to revive Pompeii and its sibling town Herculaneum soon after the catastrophe, leaving the desolate region largely abandoned until its rediscovery in 1748.
—Andrew Paul Aug 7, Popular Science, 7 Aug. 2025
Two stations out of six shut down in September 2022 as funding streams failed to keep apace with expenditures.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Additionally, the federal investigation and the decision to halt funding to UCLA came after a legal settlement with three Jewish students and a Jewish professor worth $6 million for failing to protect their civil rights.
—Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fail
Verb
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Superstore star Jon Miyahara, who played Brett on all six seasons of the NBC comedy, has died at 83.—
Lauren Huff Published,
EW.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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The talent manager and former stepson of Reba McEntire has died after a private battle with cancer.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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When Adobe’s $20 billion deal for smaller, scrappier rival Figma collapsed in 2023 under global antitrust scrutiny, investors set to reap billions complained loudly about Biden’s enforcers.—
Rohan Goswami,
semafor.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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People try to avoid going out after dark, and in a city where everything is touched by narco dollars, the economy is collapsing.—
Jesse Hyde,
Rolling Stone,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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After constantly being denied access to his owner's bed, one dog finally received the green light for a one-time chance, and his reaction did not disappoint.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Aug. 2025
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Native Ukrainians disappointed after no deal was reached Trump and Putin's high stakes summit Ukrainian-American Volodymyr Valchuk expressed disappointment in the lack of progress from the Trump-Putin summit regarding the war in Ukraine.—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But Goolsbee said Trump’s immigration crackdown likely has affected population growth and the jobs numbers, but that doesn’t mean the labor market has substantially weakened.—
Paul Davidson,
USA Today,
13 Aug. 2025
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This means banana particles can remain between teeth for an extended period, giving bacteria more time to produce acids that weaken tooth enamel.14 6.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Verywell Health,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Last but certainly not least, do not forget to pack sunscreen.—
Andre Claudio,
Sourcing Journal,
15 Aug. 2025
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It was announced well before the release of Cyberpunk 2077 and mostly forgotten about in the wake of the disastrous launch of that game.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The plane crashed into a building before going up in flames, according to The Kenya Times.—
Abigail Adams,
People.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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In 1947: The Kon-Tiki crashed into a coral reef in the Tuamotu Islands after carrying Thor Heyerdahl and his five-member crew more than 4,000 miles from Peru.—
Lorenzino Estrada,
AZCentral.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.—
Stephanie Wenger,
People.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Where San Diego seems headed toward a fourth postseason berth in six years, the Diamondbacks seem assured of missing the playoffs for the seventh time in eight years.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The television had faded to a speck and Ted took my other hand and the three of us snaked from the room.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Aug. 2025
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That uptick in sales and streams hasn’t faded just yet, even though the shock has largely worn off.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fail. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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