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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fail
The bill has been reintroduced several times, most recently in 2025, but has failed to become law.
—
Hali Smith, Idaho Statesman, 6 Mar. 2026
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said late Thursday that authorities decided to take control of the Iranian vessel IRIS Bushehr after discussions with Iranian officials and the ship’s captain, after one of its engines failed.
—ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
The stock, according to media reports, had failed to maintain a $1 trading price over a 30-day period.
—Mark Curriden, Dallas Morning News, 6 Mar. 2026
After failing to reach a 50% majority, the Texas Republican was headed to a runoff election against YouTuber Brandon Herrera in May.
—Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fail
Hali Smith, Idaho Statesman, 6 Mar. 2026
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said late Thursday that authorities decided to take control of the Iranian vessel IRIS Bushehr after discussions with Iranian officials and the ship’s captain, after one of its engines failed.
—ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
The stock, according to media reports, had failed to maintain a $1 trading price over a 30-day period.
—Mark Curriden, Dallas Morning News, 6 Mar. 2026
After failing to reach a 50% majority, the Texas Republican was headed to a runoff election against YouTuber Brandon Herrera in May.
—Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fail
Verb
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Her bank records, which are in the files, showed that Noel received thousands of dollars in cash and Zelle payments in the months before Epstein died.—
Julie K. Brown,
Miami Herald,
8 Mar. 2026
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At least 560,000 corals died within a third of a mile of the dredging, and more probably died as sediment drifted miles away, according to the 2019 study.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Degrading Iran’s war machine The larger munitions would have likely been used to penetrate underground facilities, destroy missile launch bunkers, and collapse tunnels or storage depots.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Mar. 2026
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This side-splitting comedy follows the same well-meaning troupe from The Play That Goes Wrong, whose latest attempt at staging Peter Pan quickly collapses into chaos.—
Cincinnati Enquirer,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Some investors were also disappointed Greg Abel's shareholder letter did not include any specific plans to reduce Berkshire's cash position, with some hoping in vain for a dividend.—
Alex Crippen,
CNBC,
7 Mar. 2026
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The title game didn’t disappoint in that regard.—
Tim Reynolds,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Under this model, airlines, hotels, and other end-service providers may benefit, while intermediaries such as ticket booking platforms and price comparison websites may see their roles weakened.—
,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2026
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This weakens the plant and can cause dieback.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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So forget shady characters, or fake websites.—
Dave Lieber
Mar. 11,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Mar. 2026
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Don’t forget to wash the colander afterward.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The vehicle caught fire after crashing into Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, just outside Detroit, according to a person familiar with the matter.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Mar. 2026
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Oil prices crashed back below $100 per barrel by the March 9 opening bell.—
Tiana Lowe Doescher,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Fortner, who played college ball at Kentucky, has yet to miss a game due to injury in his NFL career.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Mar. 2026
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James missed his third straight game with his injury.—
Broderick Turner,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Three days later, Litmus Test faded to third place in his first start of the year, the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas.—
Jay Posner,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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What sympathy there may have been for a cornered, bruised Iranian regime among its neighbors has faded in the face of Tehran’s escalation.—
Ishaan Tharoor,
New Yorker,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fail. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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