1
as in died
to stop functioning
my car failed just as I was about to head to work
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in collapsed
to be unsuccessful
despite all the publicity, the movie failed miserably at the box office
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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
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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
1
as in unsuccessful
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
2
as in inadequate
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of failed
Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2025
The deal, rumored for months, comes after Walgreens, which had a market value of more than $100 billion a decade ago, undertook a failed in-store clinic rollout that led it to close hundreds of stores to reduce debt and stem financial losses.
—Bruce Japsen, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
The three failed Starship test flights to start the year ended before the ship reached reentry.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2025
The 16-year-old who helped prepare a failed terrorist attack at a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna, Austria, last year has been convicted in Germany, reports the BBC.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 27 Aug. 2025
My dad was a failed entrepreneur.
—Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2025
SpaceX's very first rocket, the Falcon 1, suffered three failed launch attempts before finally reaching orbit in 2008.
—Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, 24 Aug. 2025
At that time, the stock was also testing the 200-day moving average, but the breakout never gained traction after numerous failed attempts.
—CNBC, 20 Aug. 2025
Near her hip, left on her tan comforter was the tan leather Ka-Bar knife sheath that led police to their killer, 30-year-old failed criminologist Bryan Kohberger.
—Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Arkansas Online, 5 Sep. 2025
So far this decade — according to Brian McNoldy, a senior research associate at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science — the number of days that lows failed to dip below 80 degrees has already doubled compared to the 2000’s.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
So far this year, Sabalenka failed to defend her title in the Melbourne final, then fell at the last hurdle at the French Open.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025
But Intel failed to foresee the explosion of the smartphone industry in the 2010s and then the artificial intelligence revolution a decade later.
—Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
Progressives in particular would prefer a new approach after the party anointed Collins’s 2020 opponent, Sara Gideon, who failed to flip the seat.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2025
But when the levees failed, thousands of people were trapped inside as supplies dwindled and conditions deteriorated quickly.
—Sarah Alegre, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Each company has raised less than $50 million, well short of the fundraising achievements of companies like Isar Aerospace of Germany, Australia's Gilmour Space, and Japan's Space One, all of which recently tried—and failed—to send their first rockets into orbit.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 4 Sep. 2025
Before recess, the lower chamber was paralyzed over a standoff regarding the Epstein files, when the House Rules Committee failed to tee up any bills for floor votes as the members disagreed over the Epstein files issue.
—Lauren Peller, ABC News, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
An attempt to do something different after most of Peacock’s failed comedies have been weekly?
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2025
The deal, rumored for months, comes after Walgreens, which had a market value of more than $100 billion a decade ago, undertook a failed in-store clinic rollout that led it to close hundreds of stores to reduce debt and stem financial losses.
—Bruce Japsen, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
The three failed Starship test flights to start the year ended before the ship reached reentry.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2025
The 16-year-old who helped prepare a failed terrorist attack at a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna, Austria, last year has been convicted in Germany, reports the BBC.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 27 Aug. 2025
My dad was a failed entrepreneur.
—Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2025
SpaceX's very first rocket, the Falcon 1, suffered three failed launch attempts before finally reaching orbit in 2008.
—Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, 24 Aug. 2025
At that time, the stock was also testing the 200-day moving average, but the breakout never gained traction after numerous failed attempts.
—CNBC, 20 Aug. 2025
Near her hip, left on her tan comforter was the tan leather Ka-Bar knife sheath that led police to their killer, 30-year-old failed criminologist Bryan Kohberger.
—Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
At the conclusion of the state's case Wednesday, the defense moved to have the case dismissed, arguing the state had failed to prove its case.
—Arkansas Online, 5 Sep. 2025
So far this decade — according to Brian McNoldy, a senior research associate at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science — the number of days that lows failed to dip below 80 degrees has already doubled compared to the 2000’s.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
So far this year, Sabalenka failed to defend her title in the Melbourne final, then fell at the last hurdle at the French Open.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025
But Intel failed to foresee the explosion of the smartphone industry in the 2010s and then the artificial intelligence revolution a decade later.
—Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
Progressives in particular would prefer a new approach after the party anointed Collins’s 2020 opponent, Sara Gideon, who failed to flip the seat.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2025
But when the levees failed, thousands of people were trapped inside as supplies dwindled and conditions deteriorated quickly.
—Sarah Alegre, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Each company has raised less than $50 million, well short of the fundraising achievements of companies like Isar Aerospace of Germany, Australia's Gilmour Space, and Japan's Space One, all of which recently tried—and failed—to send their first rockets into orbit.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 4 Sep. 2025
Before recess, the lower chamber was paralyzed over a standoff regarding the Epstein files, when the House Rules Committee failed to tee up any bills for floor votes as the members disagreed over the Epstein files issue.
—Lauren Peller, ABC News, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for failed
Verb
-
Osbourne, who died July 22 at 76 after a heart attack, famously bit the head off a bat during a solo performance.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Julie Henneberry, a Bay View woman whose firefighter father died on 9/11, is sharing her story publicly for the first time.—
Hope Karnopp,
jsonline.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Department of Buildings told CBS News New York and News 12 Long Island that a 10-by-10-inch section of the ceiling collapsed due to possible water damage, and pieces of the building fell on customers dining inside.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Tottenham collapsed last season when Romero and Mickey van de Ven spent months out injured.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Local fans may have gone home disappointed as Howard University kicked a last-second field goal to defeat Florida A&M 10-9, but the weekend was more than a game result.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
31 Aug. 2025
-
The Roadmap For Agencies To Build Value If your agency’s valuation disappointed you, do not chase quick fixes.—
Lien De Pau,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The problem is that what gets cut isn’t always cosmetic, and sometimes the very safeguards designed to block harmful outputs, such as hate speech or criminal instructions, are weakened or lost.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Meanwhile, the latest jobs report confirmed that the labor market weakened sharply over the spring and summer and that sectors most affected by tariffs have seen the biggest losses.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
If tariffs really are going to crush the economy, someone forgot to tell the nation’s small businesses!—
Brett Owens,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Leichman forgot the baby was in the car and headed home instead.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The new complaint was filed 20 years after Burrowes first claimed in an unsuccessful civil case that Combs may have put out a hit on Shakur and Knight.—
Gina Barton,
USA Today,
7 Sep. 2025
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All have been unsuccessful due to his status as a suspect in multiple violent crimes.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The report also stated that safety protocols in place were inadequate.—
Laura Bauer,
Kansas City Star,
7 Sep. 2025
-
The United Kingdom even suspended publication of an official unemployment rate because of inadequate responses.—
Paul Wiseman,
Fortune,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The sides and top of the car were damaged, and the car appeared to have crashed into a building where the road bends.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Sep. 2025
-
The Chainsmokers crashed an Ohio State college party.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Failed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/failed. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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