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
Emma Kershaw, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Aurora's fail-safe system includes multiple redundancies, while the company's approach to continuous improvement involves regular software updates and incident reviews.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 7 May 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
The company is focused on creating a de-extinction toolkit that can act as a fail-safe if the government, conservationists, environmentalists and citizens fail to do what is necessary to protect animal species.
—Emma Kershaw, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Aurora's fail-safe system includes multiple redundancies, while the company's approach to continuous improvement involves regular software updates and incident reviews.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 7 May 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
-
By the time Osbourne returned to Milwaukee for a March 5, 1984, concert at the Arena, his concerts had a reliable opening act: protesters outside the venue, criticizing Osbourne and rockers like him for performing the devil's music.—
Chris Foran,
jsonline.com,
23 July 2025
-
One of his key issues remains securing clean, reliable water supplies for rural and tribal communities in need.—
Arlyssa D. Becenti,
AZCentral.com,
23 July 2025
Noun
-
Elderly persons, children and individuals with respiratory illnesses are particularly susceptible to elevated air pollution levels and should take extra precautions to avoid exposure.—
Jason Green,
Mercury News,
11 July 2025
-
So far, no illnesses or allergic reactions have been reported, but the company is issuing the recall as a precaution.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
10 July 2025
Adjective
-
On Saturday afternoon in searing London heat, there was none of the surefire strut that overcame top seed and world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals.—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
-
Mopping the floors is a surefire way to ensure spills, splotches, smears, and footprints in no time.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
9 July 2025
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
But on road courses like Circuit of the Americas and Watkins Glen, where the field has plenty of laps, van Gisbergen was anything but infallible.—
Jordan Bianchi,
New York Times,
12 July 2025
-
And never be afraid to change the sequence and tendencies of that infallible trio of pitches, using instinct and feel to amplify his physical talent.—
Jack Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
1 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fail-safe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fail-safe. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
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