as in reliable
not likely to fail
flowers have been traditionally regarded as the fail-safe gift for Valentine's Day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in precaution
a measure taken to preclude loss or injury
there are so many fail-safes built into the system that a highly unlikely series of mistakes would have to be made before failure could occur
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fail-safe
wendy Wisner, Parents, 29 Aug. 2025
But if the human operator’s expertise must serve as a fail-safe to prevent catastrophe—guarding against edge cases or grabbing the controls if something breaks—then automation is failing to deliver on its promise.
—David Autor, The Atlantic, 24 Aug. 2025
Jeanna Smialek, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2023
Shop Now 10 Navy Blue In areas with strict historic guidelines, navy blue is often a fail-safe.
—Elle Decor Editors, ELLE Decor, 17 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for fail-safe
Adjective
Takeaway Of course, there is no fail-safe or guarantee.
—wendy Wisner, Parents, 29 Aug. 2025
But if the human operator’s expertise must serve as a fail-safe to prevent catastrophe—guarding against edge cases or grabbing the controls if something breaks—then automation is failing to deliver on its promise.
—David Autor, The Atlantic, 24 Aug. 2025
Noun
The idea was to make bank oversight both stricter and more fail-safe.
—Jeanna Smialek, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2023
Shop Now 10 Navy Blue In areas with strict historic guidelines, navy blue is often a fail-safe.
—Elle Decor Editors, ELLE Decor, 17 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for fail-safe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fail-safe
Adjective
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Shoppers also find cotton jeans to be the most sustainable or environmentally friendly (67 percent), the most authentic (64 percent), the highest quality (58 percent), the longest lasting (51 percent) and the most reliable (50 percent).—
Footwear News,
Footwear News,
15 Oct. 2025
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Stephanie Smith, a spokesperson from I&M, stressed that the utility’s energy mix is designed to provide safe, reliable and clean power customers can count on around the clock in a statement.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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As a precaution, health and trade associations are urging consumers and bars to destroy or properly dispose of empty bottles to prevent counterfeiters from reusing them in the production of fake liquor.—
Alessandra Freitas,
CNN Money,
12 Oct. 2025
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Students at Bukidnon State University in Malaybalay City evacuated classrooms as the quake hit, and schools across the region were closed as a precaution.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Having double standards for players is a surefire way to lose the locker room.—
Drew VonScio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
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At a time when the institutions of old — i.e., Second City and the Groundlings — have become less of surefire way into a lasting comedy career, building one’s own audience is everything.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Padlocks, sickles and other objects made of iron, a metal said to possess anti-demonic powers, were stashed in the grave as preventives.—
Franz Lidz,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2023
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But although human vaccines function primarily as preventives, offering immunity to animals such as black-footed ferrets can be a conservation strategy of last resort.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
15 June 2023
Adjective
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Callers who are accustomed to infallible technology can be baffled by this.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
2 Oct. 2025
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While mobile boarding passes are a convenient and accessible way to have one of your most important travel documents at the ready, technology isn’t infallible.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fail-safe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fail-safe. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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