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
Armond White, National Review, 23 July 2025
But like Orange County, its boundaries have a fail-safe built in.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 July 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
Big Tech symbolism is Aster’s fail-safe, replacing religion and philosophy.
—Armond White, National Review, 23 July 2025
But like Orange County, its boundaries have a fail-safe built in.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 July 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
-
Each day, Lamb showed up with multiple catches and proved to be the reliable target he’s been through five seasons.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 Aug. 2025
-
That reliable iron lump brings the 5,000-pound car to 60 mph from a standstill in about 10 seconds, not so brisk a pace as to blow off a bad hairpiece.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
As a precaution, the National Weather Service is advising people in sensitive groups — including children, older adults and people with lung or heart conditions like asthma — to avoid being outside.—
Jack Albright,
jsonline.com,
5 Aug. 2025
-
Those with heart or lung conditions, children, and older adults were urged to take extra precautions.—
Hannah Parry
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
This is not a surefire guarantee that the AI will abide by that stipulation.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
-
Pinstripe corset and pants + white button-down As seen in Paris street style and on the set of The Devil Wears Prada 2: a white shirt layered under a corset is a surefire option.—
Michel Mejía,
Glamour,
2 Aug. 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
-
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,
31 July 2025
-
Whereas the Swiss international was the most dominant midfielder in German football in 2023/24, Xhaka was no longer infallible.—
Manuel Veth,
Forbes.com,
28 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fail-safe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fail-safe. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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