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
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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
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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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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
However, the Indians failed to punch it in and settled for a 20-yard field goal from Connick Whitmire to start the second quarter with a 3-0 lead.
—
Jordan Neal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Sep. 2025
In what other sport would an athlete who has failed a drug test in one jurisdiction be free to compete in another without that information being required to be shared across commissions?
—Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
Just last week, his deputy Angela Rayner resigned after failing to pay enough tax on the purchase of a second home.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 13 Sep. 2025
The Sea Kings drove down to Charter Oak’s 2-yard line on the game’s opening drive, but failed to score.
—Michael Huntley, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fail
Jordan Neal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Sep. 2025
In what other sport would an athlete who has failed a drug test in one jurisdiction be free to compete in another without that information being required to be shared across commissions?
—Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
Just last week, his deputy Angela Rayner resigned after failing to pay enough tax on the purchase of a second home.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 13 Sep. 2025
The Sea Kings drove down to Charter Oak’s 2-yard line on the game’s opening drive, but failed to score.
—Michael Huntley, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fail
Verb
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Kirk promised that her husband will not have died in vain and said that instead his message would only become stronger.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
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Daniel Crémieux, founder of the French menswear brand Crémieux, died Friday at age 87 at his home in Aix-en-Provence, France, surrounded by his family.—
Jean E. Palmieri,
Footwear News,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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By this time, the Soviet Union had collapsed, leading Manuylov to start a business in the candy trade.—
Maria Williams,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
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Luckily, the airport had a failsafe in the form of a ground material designed to collapse under the plane's weight and stop it in its tracks.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Star clusters Star clusters are some of the most rewarding objects to observe, and the smart telescope did not disappoint.—
Harry Bennett,
Space.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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Horace is dying of cancer, and, disappointed with his dynasty, looks to install outsider Kimmie at the head of the family business.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Foreign powers such as Russia and China, which challenge America and its allies from Europe to the Middle East to Taiwan and the South China Sea, have long been accused of exploiting such divisions through disinformation campaigns that inflame tensions and weaken confidence in American governance.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
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But around the equinoxes, the natural buffer weakens.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Neither will forget what Harbaugh did late in the blowout, when going for two points after a touchdown instead of kicking a PAT to signal everything was A-OK between the two.—
Jay Paris,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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Don’t forget meds, food, clean ID tags, and anything else your dog might need on the trip.—
Wyles Daniel,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In the finale, Laura crashes Daniel and Cherry’s engagement party, and Cherry is arrested for vandalizing Laura’s gallery.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
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Estonia last month reported a Ukrainian drone crashing and exploding on its territory.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Of course, sadly missing from the grand reunion that was The Grand Finale was the late Maggie Smith, who played Robert’s mother, Violet.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
11 Sep. 2025
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An older inmate with a history of hypertension and cognitive decline went unmonitored for months, missing standard screenings that could have caught deteriorating health.—
Walter Pavlo,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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After a pause, the composition takes on a searching quality, as the melody travels from one instrument to the next, including a compelling viola solo performed by principal viola Maiya Papach, eventually fading out to nothing, leaving the audience suspended in uneasy quiet.—
Sheila Regan,
Twin Cities,
13 Sep. 2025
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The long-standing expectation was that these resonance signals would fade and become negligible as the momentum transfer increased.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fail. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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