failing 1 of 3

failing

2 of 3

verb

present participle of fail
1
as in crashing
to stop functioning my car failed just as I was about to head to work

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
5

failing

3 of 3

adjective

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun failing differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of failing are fault, foible, frailty, and vice. While all these words mean "an imperfection or weakness of character," failing suggests a minor shortcoming in character.

being late is a failing of mine

When might fault be a better fit than failing?

The synonyms fault and failing are sometimes interchangeable, but fault implies a failure, not necessarily culpable, to reach some standard of perfection in disposition, action, or habit.

a writer of many virtues and few faults

When is foible a more appropriate choice than failing?

While in some cases nearly identical to failing, foible applies to a harmless or endearing weakness or idiosyncrasy.

an eccentric's charming foibles

When could frailty be used to replace failing?

The words frailty and failing are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, frailty implies a general or chronic proneness to yield to temptation.

human frailties

When would vice be a good substitute for failing?

Although the words vice and failing have much in common, vice can be a general term for any imperfection or weakness, but it often suggests violation of a moral code or the giving of offense to the moral sensibilities of others.

compulsive gambling was his vice

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of failing
Verb
Humans and their problems are messy and fickle; ChatGPT’s responses will be individual and its failings unpredictable in kind. Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 18 Sep. 2025 Thailand under Anutin will try to depart from Pheu Thai’s failings as much as possible, says Cogan. Chad De Guzman, Time, 5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Water bottles left behind were filled with black urine – a sign of failing kidneys and dehydration. Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025 Most of the charges are for assaulting a federal law enforcement officer or failing to obey a lawful order, the district attorney’s office said in press releases. Andy Rose, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for failing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for failing
Noun
  • Only one drive on Monday even crossed into Denver territory, even if that wasn’t all his fault.
    Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
  • None were definitively the fault of Waymo’s actual self-driving technology.
    Saahil Desai, The Atlantic, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Public companies aren’t dying, but CEOs who don’t adapt their investor strategy will.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2025
  • One notable example is the recent finding that social isolation can significantly increase the risk of having or dying from a heart attack or stroke and negatively impact brain health.
    Rob Williams, EverydayHealth.com, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Those traditional systems are now collapsing alongside aquifers, and ancient settlements in Yazd in central Iran, Kerman in southeast Iran, and Khorasan in northeastern Iran have been abandoned as qanats dried up, aquifers caved in, and land subsided.
    Nik Kowsar, Time, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Some of the homes now collapsing were once a few lots back from the beach, local residents told USA TODAY.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The pressure to overperform, the fear of disappointing others and the worry of appearing uncommitted are real concerns for growth-minded professionals.
    Ankur Bindal, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Previously the billionaire banker has warned the American economy is weakening, saying in September following a measly jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that whether that weakness spills into economic contraction remains to be seen.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2025
  • The tariffs inadvertently advantage Asia and other offshore producers by weakening textile and apparel supply chains in the Western Hemisphere.
    Kimberly Glas, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Many CEOs have voiced their agreement with O’Leary—focusing too much on what’s coming next and forgetting about your current role can be a recipe for career disaster.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025
  • The robots could distinguish between important, real-time obstacles and unnecessary, outdated information using this human-like forgetting method.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • While pruning, remove any winter damage, along with dead and declining growths, to allow new shoots to reform the plant.
    Tom MacCubbin, orlandosentinel.com, 6 Mar. 2021
  • In order to reopen, counties must demonstrate declining prevalence of COVID-19, testing ability of 30 tests per 10,000 residents per week, contact tracing and isolation facilities.
    Fox News, Fox News, 15 May 2020
Noun
  • Though the Red Sox did shoot themselves in the foot with base-running, fielding and bunting failures in Game 2, thus costing them their shot at reaching the ALDS, Game 3 was a bit more representative of the Red Sox and their weaknesses.
    Michael Hurley, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
  • However, other small business indicators show weakness.
    Jeff Cox, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Failing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/failing. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on failing

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!