1
as in unsuccessful
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Dissimilar Words
2
as in inadequate
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in died
to stop functioning
my car failed just as I was about to head to work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in collapsed
to be unsuccessful
despite all the publicity, the movie failed miserably at the box office
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in disappointed
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 weakened
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 forgot
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 failed
Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 2 June 2026
The failed 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion, launched by Cuban exiles with CIA backing, became both a defining trauma and a lasting symbol of unfinished struggle.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 May 2026
Those include persuading a critical number of merchants to accept payments from agents, while also determining who is responsible for failed and fraudulent transactions.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 27 May 2026
Surely this scheme would go the way of his failed casinos, airlines, and other imploded ventures.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 20 May 2026
But generally speaking, no matter the artist’s gender, most songs talk about relationships, many times failed ones, yet women will fill the rooms of men singing about those topics, and the opposite is not necessarily true—especially not in Lily’s case where her lyrics cut like razors.
—Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 13 May 2026
After her failed coup, Emily is poised for redemption and a rebrand…at Coach.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 8 May 2026
Details vary from region to region, but generally speaking, a kuntilanak was, in life, a woman who died during pregnancy or labor without successfully giving birth to a child (a failed mother, in short).
—Literary Hub, 5 May 2026
The professional athlete, in total, has had four D&Cs, a surgical procedure often performed after a miscarriage during which the cervix is dilated so that abnormal tissue can be removed from the uterine lining, per Johns Hopkins Medicine, six failed IVF transfers and eight egg retrievals.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
Joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 4 June 2026
Lab tests showed that the plants without the active inceptin receptor failed to emit this volatile blend when exposed to either the synthetic In11 peptide or actual caterpillar oral secretions.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 3 June 2026
She was briefly considered to be leading the pack of Democrats vying for governor but failed to gain traction, particularly after a pair of videos showing her interactions with a journalist and former staffer went viral.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 3 June 2026
Records show that another E&P Travel driver was involved in a similar crash in North Carolina in 2024 that injured nine people after the bus failed to slow down for a traffic control vehicle that was performing a moving lane closure.
—ABC News, 3 June 2026
The data revealed that when a specific human protein called Rab11B was depleted, H3N2 viruses failed to enter human lung cells.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026
Cowell later invited the contestant back to perform again with music, though a second attempt failed to win over Vergara, who shut down the redemption bid.
—Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
Trump promised to accelerate building efforts there but failed to allocate funding for a single new bed in this year's budget request.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 3 June 2026
Authorities suspect that the cooling system responsible for maintaining the temperature of the tank filled with methyl methacrylate, or MMA, failed.
—Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2026
Adjective
The decision followed two hours of debate and multiple failed motions — including a proposal to lower police raises — as leaders attempted to balance equity concerns with budget constraints.
—Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 2 June 2026
The failed 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion, launched by Cuban exiles with CIA backing, became both a defining trauma and a lasting symbol of unfinished struggle.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 May 2026
Those include persuading a critical number of merchants to accept payments from agents, while also determining who is responsible for failed and fraudulent transactions.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 27 May 2026
Surely this scheme would go the way of his failed casinos, airlines, and other imploded ventures.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 20 May 2026
But generally speaking, no matter the artist’s gender, most songs talk about relationships, many times failed ones, yet women will fill the rooms of men singing about those topics, and the opposite is not necessarily true—especially not in Lily’s case where her lyrics cut like razors.
—Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 13 May 2026
After her failed coup, Emily is poised for redemption and a rebrand…at Coach.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 8 May 2026
Details vary from region to region, but generally speaking, a kuntilanak was, in life, a woman who died during pregnancy or labor without successfully giving birth to a child (a failed mother, in short).
—Literary Hub, 5 May 2026
The professional athlete, in total, has had four D&Cs, a surgical procedure often performed after a miscarriage during which the cervix is dilated so that abnormal tissue can be removed from the uterine lining, per Johns Hopkins Medicine, six failed IVF transfers and eight egg retrievals.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
Verb
In corporate news, shares in Universal Music Group were seen down 6% following reports that Pershing Square had sold its stake in the group, after two failed takeover attempts.
—Joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 4 June 2026
Lab tests showed that the plants without the active inceptin receptor failed to emit this volatile blend when exposed to either the synthetic In11 peptide or actual caterpillar oral secretions.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 3 June 2026
She was briefly considered to be leading the pack of Democrats vying for governor but failed to gain traction, particularly after a pair of videos showing her interactions with a journalist and former staffer went viral.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 3 June 2026
Records show that another E&P Travel driver was involved in a similar crash in North Carolina in 2024 that injured nine people after the bus failed to slow down for a traffic control vehicle that was performing a moving lane closure.
—ABC News, 3 June 2026
The data revealed that when a specific human protein called Rab11B was depleted, H3N2 viruses failed to enter human lung cells.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026
Cowell later invited the contestant back to perform again with music, though a second attempt failed to win over Vergara, who shut down the redemption bid.
—Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
Trump promised to accelerate building efforts there but failed to allocate funding for a single new bed in this year's budget request.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 3 June 2026
Authorities suspect that the cooling system responsible for maintaining the temperature of the tank filled with methyl methacrylate, or MMA, failed.
—Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for failed
Adjective
-
Japanese police trudged through deep mud on Thursday in another unsuccessful day searching for a missing Auburn University student, who vanished after an argument with family over artificial intelligence.—
David K. Li,
NBC news,
4 June 2026
-
Efforts to reach Bronstein for comment on Stone’s claims were unsuccessful Thursday.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
After eighteen months of crisis that saw historic urban fires, harassment by federal immigration authorities, and the generalized anxiety that attends a place where rents are high and services low, public transit inadequate and gas prices insane, the city’s vitality is flagging.—
Dana Goodyear,
New Yorker,
4 June 2026
-
In another case, a federal lawsuit filed in April 2026 in Texas also targeted an energy drink company over allegations that inadequate warning labels contributed to a teenager’s October 2025 death, raising broader questions about marketing and caffeine safety in products aimed at younger consumers.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Harris plays with the memory of her mom, Suzie Brawner, who died two years ago.—
Lauren Pastrana,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
-
Mbogo Macharia, the lawyer representing the families of the 16 girls who died in the fire, called for a thorough investigation within 21 days.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Following the 2008 financial crisis, several of Spain’s major industries collapsed, the unemployment rate soared to 27 percent, and the banking system entered such a vicious cycle that not even the Spanish government could afford to rescue it (hence, the EU bailout).—
Rogé Karma,
The Atlantic,
1 June 2026
-
Revenue grew, but margins collapsed and management became chaotic.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
But as avid swimmers, we were disappointed with the puny indoor pool, which couldn’t have been more than 10 meters long.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
At the time, the artist commented that he was disappointed the hungry museumgoer had not eaten the tape and all.—
Devorah Lauter,
ARTnews.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Remsing, meanwhile, said that commodity-sensitive currencies like the Norwegian krone, Australian dollar and Brazilian real have also trended strongly as the de-dollarization theme petered out and the euro was weakened by the war.—
Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
5 June 2026
-
That's because some jurisdictions weakened their public health authorities in response to criticism of lockdowns, school closures, mask mandates, vaccine requirements and other COVID-era restrictions.—
Rob Stein,
NPR,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Change rarely fails because leaders forgot to announce it.—
Harrison Monarth,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
The gift card had originally been packaged with a handwritten note and a receipt labeled for Uchi, but after briefly looking at it months earlier, the couple tucked it away and forgot about it.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
The state graded the campus an F for three consecutive years, meaning two more failing grades could trigger an intervention.—
Noah Alcala Bach,
San Antonio Express-News,
1 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Failed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/failed. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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