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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of failed
Jeff Kleinman, Miami Herald, 9 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
Coleman suffered from congenital, progressive kidney disease throughout his life and underwent two failed transplants.
—Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026
Besides Senator Niello's failed bill, there are several other proposals still alive seeking to revamp the elderly parole program.
—Steve Large, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
DeSantis had backed a failed bill that also sought to require health care practitioners who administer vaccines to offer parents an alternative vaccine schedule and to provide parents with information about the benefits and risks at the time of vaccination.
—Cindy Krischer Goodman, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2026
Skiboky Stora, 42, who has mounted numerous failed campaigns for mayor and governor, was sentenced by Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Josh Hanshaft.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 14 Apr. 2026
Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 7 May 2026
Bores, presumably, had already failed as well.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 7 May 2026
Cade Cavalli, who struck out 10 in each of his previous two starts, labored his way through four innings, and the offense failed to convert on early opportunities.
—Danielle Allentuck, Washington Post, 6 May 2026
One of her uncles criticized the sentence, arguing the court failed to fully consider her age at the time of the crime.
—Ivan Taylor, CBS News, 6 May 2026
While the United States and Iran are engaged in a fragile ceasefire, peace talks between United States and Iranian leaders have so far failed to come to a resolution.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 6 May 2026
Less than two months after a Harford County jury failed to decide the fate of an Abingdon teen accused of murder, Bernard Lee returned to circuit court for his second trial Tuesday morning.
—Brendan Nordstrom, Baltimore Sun, 6 May 2026
Prosecutors say the pair attempted to dodge scrutiny by relocating their operation and rebranding the company under a new name, but the effort failed as federal investigators closed in.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 6 May 2026
But efforts to enshrine such protections into state law failed under the Gold Dome earlier this year.
—Kristi Swartz, AJC.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Miami’s past holds surprising stories of ambition and reinvention, from a Bulgarian artist wrapping islands in pink fabric to a failed bid to become the film capital of the world.
—Jeff Kleinman, Miami Herald, 9 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
Coleman suffered from congenital, progressive kidney disease throughout his life and underwent two failed transplants.
—Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026
Besides Senator Niello's failed bill, there are several other proposals still alive seeking to revamp the elderly parole program.
—Steve Large, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
DeSantis had backed a failed bill that also sought to require health care practitioners who administer vaccines to offer parents an alternative vaccine schedule and to provide parents with information about the benefits and risks at the time of vaccination.
—Cindy Krischer Goodman, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2026
Skiboky Stora, 42, who has mounted numerous failed campaigns for mayor and governor, was sentenced by Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Josh Hanshaft.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 14 Apr. 2026
Verb
The comeback attempt eventually failed, though.
—Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 7 May 2026
Bores, presumably, had already failed as well.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 7 May 2026
Cade Cavalli, who struck out 10 in each of his previous two starts, labored his way through four innings, and the offense failed to convert on early opportunities.
—Danielle Allentuck, Washington Post, 6 May 2026
One of her uncles criticized the sentence, arguing the court failed to fully consider her age at the time of the crime.
—Ivan Taylor, CBS News, 6 May 2026
While the United States and Iran are engaged in a fragile ceasefire, peace talks between United States and Iranian leaders have so far failed to come to a resolution.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 6 May 2026
Less than two months after a Harford County jury failed to decide the fate of an Abingdon teen accused of murder, Bernard Lee returned to circuit court for his second trial Tuesday morning.
—Brendan Nordstrom, Baltimore Sun, 6 May 2026
Prosecutors say the pair attempted to dodge scrutiny by relocating their operation and rebranding the company under a new name, but the effort failed as federal investigators closed in.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 6 May 2026
But efforts to enshrine such protections into state law failed under the Gold Dome earlier this year.
—Kristi Swartz, AJC.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for failed
Adjective
-
Golden State Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob said his unsuccessful bid to buy the San Diego Padres assumed that the entire 2027 MLB season would likely be lost due to labor strife.—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
6 May 2026
-
The assailant stabbed the pope with a bayonet, but the assassination attempt was unsuccessful.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
Local advocates say needless removals and inadequate watering are threatening decades of neighborhood cooling and environmental health benefits.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
-
His grounds for appeal included that Nauru’s medical services were inadequate to treat his severe asthma.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
In addition to the 18-year-old woman who died, authorities said, others suffered gunshot and shrapnel wounds as dozens of shots were fired at the popular boating, fishing and swimming lake about 20 miles north of downtown Oklahoma City.—
Hannah Schoenbaum,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
-
Ted Turner, the maverick businessman and philanthropist who turned a financially struggling Atlanta TV station into a media empire around CNN, the first 24-hour cable news station, has died.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
At the same time, however, the study documented dimming events including in Ukraine and Gaza as wars unfolded, in Venezuela as the economy collapsed, and in parts of Europe when governments enacted energy conservation mandates following the Russia-Ukraine war.—
Bree Shirvell,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
-
Some officers were killed in the exchange of fire, while others died after part of the building collapsed, according to local police.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
What’s next for I-77 South Carter-Adamson and Ivory were disappointed to hear that I-77 will once again disrupt lives around Charlotte.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
11 May 2026
-
Asked to pitch in a high-leverage situation for the first time in a while, Camilo Doval disappointed on Saturday.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
People who have weakened immune systems and who experienced intense pain during an initial outbreak are also more susceptible to getting shingles a second (or even third) time.—
Petra Guglielmetti,
Glamour,
7 May 2026
-
Meanwhile, the institutional guardrails have been weakened.—
Israel Melendez Ayala,
Time,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Someone forgot to tell Cherie DeVaux.—
Jay Posner,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2026
-
In case anyone forgot, pierogies are dumplings, too.—
Miguel Otárola,
Denver Post,
30 Apr. 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 14 May. 2026.
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