as in fault
a defect in character
we could talk about your failings, but it would take all night
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in dying
Related Words
1
as in crashing
to stop functioning
my car failed just as I was about to head to work
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in collapsing
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 disappointing
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 weakening
to lose bodily strength or vigor
ever since she reached the age of 90, Grandma has been noticeably failing
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in forgetting
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 failing
Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2026
Robotics startups typically prefer to show off their research prototypes in videos on social media, offering them the opportunity to show the machines at their best and edit out their failings.
—Arkansas Online, 7 Jan. 2026
Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 23 Jan. 2026
At the same time, he was criticized by prominent political prisoners and other Iranian activists and citizens for betraying his country by supporting the Israeli strikes and failing to condemn them.
—Eric Lob, The Conversation, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for failing
Noun
Stephen Ross, the Miami Dolphins’ majority owner since 2009, is now looking for his eighth different head coach in a parade of floundering, flailing and failing.
—Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2026
Robotics startups typically prefer to show off their research prototypes in videos on social media, offering them the opportunity to show the machines at their best and edit out their failings.
—Arkansas Online, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
South Windsor police have arrested a school bus driver accused of failing to intervene during a fight on a bus last October.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 23 Jan. 2026
At the same time, he was criticized by prominent political prisoners and other Iranian activists and citizens for betraying his country by supporting the Israeli strikes and failing to condemn them.
—Eric Lob, The Conversation, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for failing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for failing
Noun
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Executive Director of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance Paul Craney wasn’t having it, saying high utility bills in Massachusetts are the fault of Healey’s policies and the state’s NetZero by 2050 climate mandate, which favors solar, wind and battery power over natural gas.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Scientists think this white oil originated deep within the earth, traveled along the San Gabriel fault zone and was filtered through several layers of sediment.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Garden centers aren't giving a refund for a dying or dead plant but rather a discount on a new purchase.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
17 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Head to destinations with stirring water views, from the crashing cascades of Niagara Falls to the dramatic Oregon coast.—
Cailey Rizzo,
Travel + Leisure,
21 Jan. 2026
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With deep economic instability and a crashing local currency the primary drivers of the uprisings, few Iranians can afford doing that for long.—
Talla Mountjoy,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Iran claims to have restored order following the nationwide demonstrations that began spreading late last year over the country's collapsing currency and spiraling prices.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
23 Jan. 2026
-
The shooting intensifies a person, identified as Husien, emerges from the driver’s seat of the police vehicle and runs a few dozen yards away before collapsing.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Dependably disappointing Jim Risch, Idaho’s oldest-ever senator, is now eighty-freaking-two!—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
8 Jan. 2026
-
That’s disappointing this year.—
SportsDay Staff,
Dallas Morning News,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Milk, butter and cheese prices on the wholesale market and at grocery stores have decreased slightly due to oversupply and weakening consumer demand.—
Cheryl V. Jackson,
IndyStar,
9 Jan. 2026
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This suggests consumers enter 2026 with continuing concerns over high prices and weakening labor market conditions.—
Phillip Molnar,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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For many gardeners, forgetting to water their houseplants from time to time is inevitable.—
Rachel Gillett,
Martha Stewart,
21 Jan. 2026
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The book also makes use of ellipses, alluding to forgetting or skipping periods of time.—
Emily Krauser,
PEOPLE,
18 Jan. 2026
Noun
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If the Nasdaq 100 sees further weakness ahead of megacap technology companies’ earnings, the QQQ could rapidly slide to about 580, according to Jay Woods, chief market strategist at Freedom Capital Markets.—
Sean Conlon,
CNBC,
20 Jan. 2026
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In theory, that weakness could be an opening for a president to muscle Congress into codifying parts of his agenda.—
Yuval Levin,
The Atlantic,
20 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Failing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/failing. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.
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