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
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
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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
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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, failing to disclose such care to the non-custodial parent may still cause relationship strain and mistrust, especially if the child shares information later.
—
Sherri Gordon, Parents, 23 June 2025
Why did selling fail as a strategy every time but once?
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 23 June 2025
Leaders would be wise to not make overly risky decisions that will fail during an inevitable pull back in btc price.
—Alexander S. Blume, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
La Perla has failed to relaunch in recent years and after German businessman Lars Windhorst’s private equity firm Tennor, then known as Sapinda, took over the company in 2018.
—Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for fail
Sherri Gordon, Parents, 23 June 2025
Why did selling fail as a strategy every time but once?
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 23 June 2025
Leaders would be wise to not make overly risky decisions that will fail during an inevitable pull back in btc price.
—Alexander S. Blume, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
La Perla has failed to relaunch in recent years and after German businessman Lars Windhorst’s private equity firm Tennor, then known as Sapinda, took over the company in 2018.
—Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for fail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fail
Verb
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Missing, however, was the museum’s founder Joseph Randall Shapiro, who died just days earlier at the age of 91. 2011: Ferocious winds spawned tornadoes that hit Downers Grove and Mount Prospect, but warning sirens in the communities remained silent.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2025
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If your team is afraid to disagree, if failure is punished, if new ideas die in PowerPoint—your culture needs rewiring.—
Bill Fischer,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2025
Verb
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Without a proper response from the immune system, even the most efficient organs won’t prevent the body from collapsing.—
Marcin Nowak,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
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Many of these allies, as well as the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, have collapsed over the last year and a half under Israeli military pressure.—
Ruth Marks Eglash,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2025
Verb
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Pixar fans who know to expect some deeper themes under the surface of an entertaining and colorful story shouldn't be disappointed by this one.—
DeVonne Goode,
Parents,
19 June 2025
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As with its hotels, sales across its eateries (which include the likes of Beefeater and Brewers Fayre) have disappointed due to lasting pressure on consumer spending.—
Royston Wild,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2025
Verb
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But in an unexpected ruling in 2023, the Supreme Court declined an invitation to weaken Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.—
June 27,
CBS News,
27 June 2025
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Abandoning recognition can erode motivation, diminish engagement and make employees feel invisible, weakening the cultural fabric and undermining long-term resilience.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Verb
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Creating Emotionally Safer Experiences AI is quietly reshaping CX by learning when not to personalize, strategically forgetting past interactions to avoid user fatigue or creepiness.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
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People forget this, but Duke had already won Game 1 of that Super Regional.—
Mitch Light,
New York Times,
16 June 2025
Verb
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Last October, two people in Boston were hurt when a drone hit a light pole and crashed during a Boston Celtics opening night watch party at City Hall Plaza.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
22 June 2025
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Shannon proved to be more ready as a rookie, scoring double figures in all five of his 20-minute games and then crashing the middle of the Western Conference finals with bursts of scoring.—
Law Murray,
New York Times,
22 June 2025
Verb
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That however means that monitoring any LLM answers miss the point.—
Lutz Finger,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
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Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
20 June 2025
Verb
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Once the uncertainty begins to fade, capital returns more quickly than most anticipate.—
Jim Osman,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
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The red measurement markings also have a tendency to fade over time, especially with frequent dishwasher use.—
Francesca Krempa,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
20 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fail. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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