fail

play

verb \ˈfāl\

Definition of fail

intransitive verb
1a : to lose strength : weaken her health was failingb : to fade or die away until our family line failsc : to stop functioning normally the patient's heart failed
2a : to fall short failed in his dutyb : to be or become absent or inadequate the water supply failedc : to be unsuccessful the marriage failed; specifically : to be unsuccessful in achieving a passing grade took the exam and failedd : to become bankrupt or insolvent banks were failing
transitive verb
1a : to disappoint the expectations or trust of her friends failed herb : to miss performing an expected service or function for his wit failed him
2 : to be deficient in : lack never failed an invincible courage — Douglas MacArthur
3 : to leave undone : neglect fail to lock the door
4a : to be unsuccessful in passing failed chemistryb : to grade (someone, such as a student) as not passing The teacher failed only his two worst students.

failingly

play \ˈfā-liŋ-lē\ adverb

See fail defined for English-language learners

See fail defined for kids

Examples of fail in a Sentence

He failed in his first attempt but succeeded in his second attempt.
His first company failed, but his second company succeeded.
He felt that he had failed her when she needed him most.
The government has failed the voters.

Recent Examples of fail from the Web

If the join is not seamless, though, the gene will fail and the animal will die.

— The Economist, "Gene drivesA promising means of pest control meets some evolutionary truths," 22 July 2017
SIGN UP NOW — The Trump administration's 100 days of trade talks with China ended with a whimper on Wednesday, as the two sides failed to reach a breakthrough agreement.

— tory newmyer, Washington Post, "The Finance 202: Big budget problems stand in way of tax overhaul," 20 July 2017
The Electoral College and the Senate — the two allegedly undemocratic elements of the American political system — fail to consistently reflect plurality popular opinion at the national scale because they are also structured to represent the states.

— max bloom, National Review, "Democracy Is Not a Poll," 20 July 2017
The body's temperature rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails and the body is unable to cool down, causing internal temperatures to increase to 106 degrees F or higher within 15 minutes.

— leada gore, AL.com, "How hot is it? 12 heat-related deaths in Alabama last year; officials advise caution," 19 July 2017
On the bright side, everything else the White House does—or fails to do—looks practically virtuosic, by comparison.

— vanityfair.com, "Grading the Trump Administration on the World’s Steepest Curve," 17 July 2017
In his addendum to Rambam's (Maimonides) Book of Commandments, Ramban notes that Rambam failed to mention living in Israel as a distinct mitzvah.

— rabbi avi weiss, Jewish Journal, "Weiss: The value of living in the land of Israel," 17 July 2017
She was also arrested for failing to appear for court in a case in which he was charged with two counts of drug possession other than marijuana and three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.

— The Aegis, "Police blotter: From Aberdeen to Fallston to Street," 14 July 2017
This latest in-your-face provocation from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un came after President Donald Trump had signaled that his strategy for reining in the North—relying on China to use its clout with the Pyongyang regime—had failed.

— bill powell, MSNBC Newsweek, "Will Trump Stop the 10 Chinese Companies Supplying North Korea's Nuclear Program?," 13 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fail.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of fail

Middle English failen, from Anglo-French faillir, from Vulgar Latin *fallire, alteration of Latin fallere to deceive, disappoint

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

fail

noun

Definition of fail

1 : failure —usually used in the phrase without fail Every day, without fail, he has toast and coffee for breakfast.
2 : a failure (as by a security dealer) to deliver or receive securities within a prescribed period after purchase or sale

See fail defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of fail from the Web

Without fail, every one of the local guides managed to answer all of our questions.

— jennifer franklin, USA TODAY, "Magical travel along the Ancient Silk Road," 5 July 2017
As a fail-safe, the motherboard is enclosed in a mesh sleeve that can’t be unscrewed, cracked, or even bored through, thanks to a circuit lining the interior that shatters at the touch of a drill bit.

— michael calore, WIRED, "This Ultra-Secure PC Self Destructs if Someone Messes With It," 23 June 2017
No fads, no gimmicks—just flawless skin in three steps without fail.

— amber kallor, Marie Claire, "The Foundation Mistake Almost All Women Make," 28 Apr. 2017
But, without fail, Gedney still found beauty to capture: the elegance of fabric draped upon a body, or limbs curving expressively even in repose, or the rhythms of life lived on the streets.

— samanth subramanian, The New Yorker, "William Gedney’s Travels in India," 28 Mar. 2017
But, without fail, one thing is always guaranteed to make a tantrum worse: a judgmental look from a stranger.

— caralynn lippo, Redbook, "Dad Claps Back At Strangers Who Were Pissed Off By His Daughter's Tantrum," 9 Mar. 2017
Either way, the overwhelming backlash classifies this tone-deaf image as a total marketing fail.

— caroline picard, Good Housekeeping, "Shoppers Are Totally Baffled by Zara's "Love Your Curves" Ad Campaign," 1 Mar. 2017

Origin and Etymology of fail

see ¹fail

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

FAIL Defined for English Language Learners

fail

play

verb

Definition of fail for English Language Learners

: to not succeed : to end without success
: to not succeed as a business : to become bankrupt
: to not do (something that you should do or are expected to do)

FAIL Defined for Kids

fail

play

verb \ˈfāl\

Definition of fail for Students

failed

;

failing

1 : to be unsuccessful He failed the test.
2 : to grade as not passing My teacher failed me.
3 : to stop functioning The engine failed.
4 : to be or become absent or not enough The water supply failed.
5 : to become bankrupt The business failed.
6 : ¹neglect 2 Don't fail to ask if you need my help.
7 : disappoint, desert I need your help. Please don't fail me.
8 : to lose strength : weaken She's failing in health.
9 : to fall short One drink failed to satisfy my thirst.
10 : to die away The family line failed.

fail

play

noun

Definition of fail for Students

: failure 2 We met daily without fail.

Medical Dictionary

fail

play

intransitive verb \ˈfā(ə)l\

Medical Definition of fail

1: to weaken or lose strength her health was failing
2: to stop functioning normally the patient's heart failed

Law Dictionary

fail

intransitive verb

Legal Definition of fail

1 : to be or become inadequate or unsuccessful especially in fulfilling certain formal requirements even if one or more terms are left open, a contract for sale does not fail for indefiniteness — Uniform Commercial Code
2 : to become bankrupt or insolvent
transitive verb
: to leave undone or neglect to do fail to appear in court fail to read a contract