1
as in to die
to stop functioning
my car failed just as I was about to head to work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fail
During a press conference in Los Angeles County on Thursday, District Attorney Nathan Hochman revealed his office has filed 12 felony charges against Mencia, accusing the 58-year-old funnyman of failing to report personal and business income between 2019 and 2024.
—
Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 19 June 2026
More information has been revealed about the initial fire response, including that the private fire suppression system failed.
—Madisen Keavy, CBS News, 19 June 2026
When officials fail to identify the victim, Nawal hunts for the killer.
—Brian Seibert, New Yorker, 19 June 2026
StubHub’s FanProtect Guarantee promises replacement tickets or a refund if tickets fail to arrive.
—ABC News, 19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for fail
Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 19 June 2026
More information has been revealed about the initial fire response, including that the private fire suppression system failed.
—Madisen Keavy, CBS News, 19 June 2026
When officials fail to identify the victim, Nawal hunts for the killer.
—Brian Seibert, New Yorker, 19 June 2026
StubHub’s FanProtect Guarantee promises replacement tickets or a refund if tickets fail to arrive.
—ABC News, 19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for fail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fail
Verb
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Last year, around 13,000 of a population of 17,000 elephant seal pups died there in just a few months after being exposed.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
21 June 2026
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Daveigh, best known for playing Samara Morgan in The Ring and voicing Lilo in Lilo & Stitch, died at 35, PEOPLE confirmed on Wednesday, June 17.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
21 June 2026
Verb
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Over 14 months, Safiya -- a pediatrician by training -- became one of the most prominent voices in Gaza, speaking out on social media about the strip's collapsing healthcare system.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
20 June 2026
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In mature markets like Oregon and Colorado, wholesale flower prices have collapsed dramatically.—
Peter Su,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
Verb
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On the other hand, a hydrangea species that can sometimes disappoint Chicago-area gardeners is the bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla), known for having big blue blooms when grown in acid soil and popular in the eastern United States.—
Beth Botts,
Chicago Tribune,
20 June 2026
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And then probably the thing that kept me up more at night in the beginning was not wanting to disappoint Vince.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
19 June 2026
Verb
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The screenplay grows more complex and rewarding as the central relationship weakens, effectively forcing Sonya to deal with her exhausting boyfriend (Levon Hawke) and pushing Coley to connect with her father who, for whatever reason, spends a lot of time hand-making turquoise jewelry.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
16 June 2026
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This, of course, is problematic for the homegrown haters because the opposing opinion from neutral outsiders weakens their argument and should strengthen our resolve.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Macron forgets his watch Macron appeared to leave behind his watch after eating lunch with several other world leaders.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
17 June 2026
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Don't forget a thick slice of crusty bread on the side to soak up all the flavor.—
Lizzy Briskin,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 June 2026
Verb
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Edwards Air Force Base officials said the plane that crashed Monday was conducting a routine test mission for its Radar Modernization Program.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
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One man died after his vehicle crashed at Truman Road and Bennington Avenue, and investigators believe that man was shot by the same suspect, police said.—
Nathan Pilling,
Kansas City Star,
19 June 2026
Verb
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Caitlin Clark orchestrates offense Clark struggled to find her shooting touch Tuesday, missing 10 of 15 field goal attempts and seven of eight 3-pointers.—
James Boyd,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
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Fans attending World Cup matches at Miami Stadium are warning others to arrive hours early after long lines and transportation delays caused some to miss major moments of a recent game.—
Abby Dodge,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
Verb
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Just faded to a dark backdrop of the forgotten.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 June 2026
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After Flowering As soon as the blooms fade, cut the flower stalk at the stalk base on an angle using sharp pruners, says Eric Nieusma, co-owner of Maine Hill Farm.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fail. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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