as in weaknesses
a defect in character
we could talk about your failings, but it would take all night
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of failings
Before 1956, addiction to drugs and alcohol were considered failings in morality or personal will.
—
Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2026
Diana Freed, assistant professor at Brown University, and PHD student Julio Poveda explained how even chatbots tailored at helping domestic abuse survivors can be rife with privacy failings.
—Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026
In a game that was a harsh departure from a successful spring and an unpleasant reminder of last season’s failings, the Giants barely put up a fight, losing to the Yankees, 7-0.
—Sports Columnist, San Francisco Chronicle, 25 Mar. 2026
Because the Duggars adhere to a fundamentalist fringe of evangelicalism, the liberal media are often quick to use the family’s failings as a cautionary tale about Christianity in general, and conservatives can be too quick to interpret criticism of the family as criticism of the church.
—Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026
Okrent’s failings are, unsurprisingly, primarily those of omission.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Reporters here and across the nation routinely request public records to illuminate systemic failings, abuse and corruption across all levels of government.
—Katie Moore, Kansas City Star, 12 Mar. 2026
The narrators have soft spots for various failings.
—Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
And there’s no question many of the failings come back to the fact the roster is poorly constructed.
—James Mirtle, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2026
Diana Freed, assistant professor at Brown University, and PHD student Julio Poveda explained how even chatbots tailored at helping domestic abuse survivors can be rife with privacy failings.
—Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026
In a game that was a harsh departure from a successful spring and an unpleasant reminder of last season’s failings, the Giants barely put up a fight, losing to the Yankees, 7-0.
—Sports Columnist, San Francisco Chronicle, 25 Mar. 2026
Because the Duggars adhere to a fundamentalist fringe of evangelicalism, the liberal media are often quick to use the family’s failings as a cautionary tale about Christianity in general, and conservatives can be too quick to interpret criticism of the family as criticism of the church.
—Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026
Okrent’s failings are, unsurprisingly, primarily those of omission.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Reporters here and across the nation routinely request public records to illuminate systemic failings, abuse and corruption across all levels of government.
—Katie Moore, Kansas City Star, 12 Mar. 2026
The narrators have soft spots for various failings.
—Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
And there’s no question many of the failings come back to the fact the roster is poorly constructed.
—James Mirtle, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for failings
Noun
-
To actually take stock of the strengths and weaknesses and act accordingly.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
30 Mar. 2026
-
This past week showcased the strengths of carrots and the weaknesses of sticks.—
Editorial Board,
Washington Post,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The tectonic architecture of the Aegean Sea is messy, rife with crisscrossing faults and myriad volcanoes that make unraveling what happens at depth extremely difficult.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Tonga is situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, the arc of seismic faults where much of the world’s earthquake and volcanic activity occurs.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Their sins will be washed away by the waters of liberty.—
City News Service,
Oc Register,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Whatever Heidegger’s political sins, his philosophy restores a clarity our therapeutic culture fears.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Johnnies thrive on messy, on disruptive pressure that limit possessions to compensate for what is ordinarily their own offensive shortcomings.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Harris’ death underscores growing concerns about the risks of riding small, low-speed electric vehicles and the shortcomings of the user agreements riders have with the companies that rent them.—
Hope Moses,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Failings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/failings. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
