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
Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 12 Nov. 2025
For a fail-safe choice, go for a white fabric liner constructed of polyester, canvas, or other natural fiber iterations (that are either mildew-resistant, water-repellent, and/or machine washable).
—Shivani Vyas, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Nov. 2025
Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 30 Apr. 2026
And Uptown has two spots on East Trade Street that are open 24/7 — your ultimate fail-safe after literally any night out.
—Charlotte Observer, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fail-safe
Adjective
At this time, there is no fail-safe way for creators to determine if AI companies have used their work to train models, which can violate copyrights of the works of countless artists.
—Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 12 Nov. 2025
For a fail-safe choice, go for a white fabric liner constructed of polyester, canvas, or other natural fiber iterations (that are either mildew-resistant, water-repellent, and/or machine washable).
—Shivani Vyas, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Nov. 2025
Noun
In response, energy companies and shippers are exploring options that could involve billions of dollars in investment in new pipelines, port expansions, and alternative (though hardly fail-safe) routes through the Red Sea.
—Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 30 Apr. 2026
And Uptown has two spots on East Trade Street that are open 24/7 — your ultimate fail-safe after literally any night out.
—Charlotte Observer, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fail-safe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fail-safe
Adjective
-
Final word Ultra professional and utterly reliable, Chiva-Som deserves every accolade.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
The malware devotes considerable attention to CI/CD (continuous integration/continuous delivery) systems, which allow for faster and more reliable software releases by automating the building, testing, and deploying of code changes.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
The doctor intentionally left the remainder of the tumor as a precaution against possible brain damage due to excessively invasive surgery.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
-
The program currently requires companies to submit a plan to the EPA outlining safety precautions, hazard assessments in the case of an accidental release and emergency response steps.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
30 May 2026
Adjective
-
Judge is one of the biggest names in Major League Baseball and a surefire future Hall of Famer.—
Jaylon Thompson
May 26,
Kansas City Star,
27 May 2026
-
And as for Lynch and Conde Nast, his company has made growing subscriptions a top priority, since convincing customers to have a direct relationship with a brand is one of the only surefire ways to counter Google no longer sending those customers along.—
Andy Meek,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2026
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
-
Similar to human drivers, Zoox's AI and safety systems aren't infallible, but the test ride vehicle didn't exhibit any odd behaviors that seemed problematic or scary for occupants.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
-
The presumption that my doctor was infallible.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fail-safe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fail-safe. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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