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
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fail
That case argued that Louisiana lawmakers illegally diluted Black voting power by failing to draw a second majority-Black district in a state where Black voters account for roughly one third of the population.
—
Sam Gringlas, NPR, 29 May 2026
During that mission, New Glenn failed to deploy its payload, the BlueBird 7 communications satellite, into the proper orbit.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 29 May 2026
Baty has also failed to replicate his second-half numbers from last season.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 29 May 2026
The 5-foot-9 guard got suspended by the Dream for conduct detrimental to the team before being traded and failing to earn second contracts from the Sparks and Sky.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fail
Sam Gringlas, NPR, 29 May 2026
During that mission, New Glenn failed to deploy its payload, the BlueBird 7 communications satellite, into the proper orbit.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 29 May 2026
Baty has also failed to replicate his second-half numbers from last season.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 29 May 2026
The 5-foot-9 guard got suspended by the Dream for conduct detrimental to the team before being traded and failing to earn second contracts from the Sparks and Sky.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fail
Verb
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Marcia Lucas, Academy Award-winning film editor, died at the age of 80, AP News reports.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
30 May 2026
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Kelly Curtis, an actress, documentarian and daughter of Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, died Saturday morning, her younger sister, Jamie Lee Curtis, announced.—
Mike Barnes,
HollywoodReporter,
30 May 2026
Verb
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The double-decker Cypress Street Viaduct of the Nimitz Freeway in Oakland partially collapsed and was never rebuilt.—
Chase Hunter,
Mercury News,
30 May 2026
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Anderson collapsed and died while being forced to complete a run during his first day at a boot-camp style detention center in 2006.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
30 May 2026
Verb
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But the final study results disappointed investors, and the drug has been limited to a subset of patients.—
Bloomberg,
Oc Register,
29 May 2026
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Some viewers were disappointed that the second season of House of the Dragon ended not with a bang, but a whimper.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
29 May 2026
Verb
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The Reserve Bank of Australia will likely focus on the strength of private demand before factoring in the conflict, alongside inflation risks stemming from weak productivity and rising unit labor costs, according to Stenner, who expects household consumption to weaken in the second quarter.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
3 June 2026
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Critics counter that scarcity alone does not guarantee value if investor demand weakens.—
Sharon Wu,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
Verb
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Don’t forget to use the code SUNSHINE at checkout to get the extra discount.—
Robin Raven,
Travel + Leisure,
3 June 2026
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By catering to his ego, international leaders can persuade Washington to forget—or at least to ignore—past tensions.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
3 June 2026
Verb
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From the train windows, expect to spot the aquamarine waves of Ligurian Sea crashing against the stony coast, candy-colored houses huddled together on the hillsides, tiny wooden boats gliding through village harbors, and flecks of golden-sand beaches.—
Jessica Puckett,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 June 2026
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About 80 times a year, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety buys a brand new car for the express purpose of crashing it.—
Keith Laing,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Insider tip Don't miss the amuse bouches, rotating macrobiotic bites that will be brought to your room right after check-in.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
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If a voter’s signature is missing or does not match the signature on file, California law requires elections officials to notify that voter and give them an opportunity to fix the problem, which can also delay the process.—
Grace Toohey,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2026
Verb
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While desirable homes still sell quickly, frenzied bidding wars have faded.—
Sara B. Hansen,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
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Deadheading Is Another Form Of Pinching Back Deadheading is similar to pinching back, but it is done once the flowers begin to fade.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fail. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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