1
as in to die
to stop functioning
my car failed just as I was about to head to work
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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
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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
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4
as in to weaken
to lose bodily strength or vigor
ever since she reached the age of 90, Grandma has been noticeably failing
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fail
Engineering electrolyte’s co-solvent However, their performance often fails at the interface between the electrode and the liquid electrolyte.
—
Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2025
These top-down directives often fail to reach the frontlines and, worse, overlook the ingenuity and urgency frontline producers already bring.
—Felipe Arango, Sourcing Journal, 26 Sep. 2025
But Ellison never followed through with more donations after Scott formally entered the race and failed to gain momentum, according to the New York Times.
—Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2025
Obiageli Orah, the director of public affairs and consumer protection at FAAN, told Newsflare the passenger repeatedly failed to comply with safety instructions.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fail
Verb
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The way people typically die in intersections is often because of head-on and T-bone crashes, which the roundabout design addresses, Bryson said.—
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Uzbek artist Feruza Kholkhujaeva filled courtyards with potted plants that will slowly die, a portrait of grief.—
Verb
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In this scene, Vivian tries to teach Wil how to fall without hurting herself, as dancers do; of course, Wil only collapses to the ground when Vivian gets too close to her.—
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All 67 people aboard both aircraft were killed as the plane and helicopter collapsed into the river below.—
Verb
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Like much of Saturday, though, KU’s defense disappointed.—
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Idaho Transportation Department says don’t expect big changes Those hoping that state officials can somehow swoop in to alleviate Idaho 55’s traffic problem will likely be disappointed.—
Verb
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And, in the process, weakening the ability of American tech companies, many of them based in California, to achieve their goals.—
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Winds will continue to weaken later in the afternoon, while flooding across the high terrain in the Central Azores is also expected to subside.—
Verb
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The four-pack comes with two 4-inch and two 5-inch candles, and each one requires AA batteries for a true set-it-and-forget-it setup.—
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Defensive front is struggling versus the run The Dolphins lost an 18-year NFL veteran in Calais Campbell who has probably forgotten more football than his replacements (Kenneth Grant, Jordan Phillips and Zeek Biggers) collectively know.—
Verb
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The waves crashed behind the stage, as fans—including myself—stood barefoot in the sand.—
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Residents calling 911 in Forrest County had to wait on the line until being transferred to the National 911 Call Center, which then had to transfer the call to a non-emergency line in the county — some of which had crashed, Gerry Burns, the Deputy 911 Coordinator of the county, told CNN.—
Verb
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But these estimates may miss major factors — like changes in the local market or unique features of the home.—
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Tucker missed that party last week, leaving Pittsburgh on the same day the Cubs secured their first postseason appearance since 2020.—
Verb
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The present is always coming at us so hard and fast that the unexamined past fades more from consciousness in the echo chamber of the now.—
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Nobody buys an Alfa Romeo to fade into the crowd.—
Cite this Entry
“Fail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fail. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
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