Synonyms of fail

fail 1 of 4

verb (1)

ˈfāl 

1

as in to die

to stop functioning

my car failed just as I was about to head to work

Synonyms & Similar Words

• die
• crash
• stall
• break
• cut out
• give out
• break down
• sputter
• conk (out)
• fizzle
• malfunction
• act up
• jam
• wheeze

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• start (up)

2

as in to collapse

to be unsuccessful

despite all the publicity, the movie failed miserably at the box office

Synonyms & Similar Words

• collapse
• miss
• flop
• struggle
• fold
• flunk
• bomb
• strike out
• fall short
• tank
• come up empty
• fall flat
• decline
• come to grief
• flame out
• wash out
• lay an egg
• die on the vine
• founder
• crash
• come a cropper
• slip
• crumble
• crater
• flounder
• fall on one's face
• wane
• sink
• slump
• miscarry
• implode
• skid
• misfire
• go under
• self-destruct

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• succeed
• go
• deliver
• click
• work out
• go over
• come off
• thrive
• prosper
• flourish
• cook
• win
• prevail
• pan out
• triumph

3

as in to disappoint

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

• disappoint
• let down
• cheat
• displease
• upset
• dissatisfy
• distress
• bum (out)
• deceive
• disillusion
• delude
• disenchant
• mock
• discontent
• chagrin
• disgruntle

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• satisfy
• fulfill
• gratify
• content
• gladden

4

as in to weaken

to lose bodily strength or vigor

ever since she reached the age of 90, Grandma has been noticeably failing

Synonyms & Similar Words

• weaken
• fade
• go
• sag
• sink
• deteriorate
• wilt
• languish
• droop
• wither
• decay
• waste (away)
• lag
• flag
• emaciate
• wear out
• yield
• break down
• rot
• degenerate
• run down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• recover
• rally
• recuperate
• rebound
• gain
• convalesce

5

as in to forget

to miss the opportunity or obligation

failed to mention that he was looking for new job

Synonyms & Similar Words

• forget
• neglect
• omit
• ignore
• miss out on
• disregard
• pass over
• overlook
• skip
• slight
• slide
• pretermit
• default
• slip
• overpass

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• remember
• do
• keep
• observe
• mind
• perform
• execute
• meet
• carry out
• heed
• practice
• satisfy
• fulfill
• comply (with)
• discharge

failing

2 of 4

noun

ˈfā-liŋ 

as in fault

a defect in character

we could talk about your failings, but it would take all night

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fault
• weakness
• shortcoming
• sin
• deficiency
• demerit
• foible
• want
• feet of clay
• vice
• frailty
• sinfulness
• dereliction
• flaw
• evil
• imperfection
• stain
• blot
• soft spot
• blemish
• minus
• spot
• corruption
• immorality
• nit
• wickedness
• depravity
• Achilles' heel

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• virtue
• merit
• excellence
• perfection
• integrity
• morality
• goodness
• righteousness
• probity
• rectitude

failing

3 of 4

adjective

as in dying

Related Words

• dying
• declining
• waning
• decaying
• feeble
• weak
• precious
• debilitated
• wasted
• weakened
• enfeebled
• overrefined
• wimpy
• degenerate
• frail
• decayed
• languid
• sapped
• enervated
• overripe
• decadent
• enervate
• degraded
• soft
• immoral
• dissolute
• demoralized
• effete
• washed-up
• debased
• depraved
• debauched
• dissipated

failing

4 of 4

verb (2)

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

• dying
• crashing
• stalling
• breaking
• cutting out
• giving out
• breaking down
• malfunctioning
• sputtering
• conking (out)
• wheezing
• fizzling
• jamming
• acting up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• starting (up)

2

as in collapsing

to be unsuccessful

despite all the publicity, the movie failed miserably at the box office

Synonyms & Similar Words

• collapsing
• struggling
• missing
• flopping
• folding
• bombing
• flunking
• declining
• striking out
• foundering
• tanking
• cratering
• falling short
• crashing
• falling flat
• flaming out
• laying an egg
• washing out
• coming to grief
• coming up empty
• slipping
• dying on the vine
• crumbling
• floundering
• slumping
• falling on one's face
• coming a cropper
• skidding
• waning
• sinking
• misfiring
• imploding
• miscarrying
• going under
• self-destructing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• succeeding
• going
• delivering
• working out
• going over
• clicking
• coming off
• cooking
• prospering
• thriving
• flourishing
• winning
• prevailing
• panning out
• triumphing

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

• disappointing
• cheating
• letting down
• dissatisfying
• upsetting
• distressing
• displeasing
• deceiving
• disillusioning
• bumming (out)
• discontenting
• deluding
• mocking
• chagrining
• disenchanting
• disgruntling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• satisfying
• gratifying
• fulfilling
• contenting
• gladdening

4

as in weakening

to lose bodily strength or vigor

ever since she reached the age of 90, Grandma has been noticeably failing

Synonyms & Similar Words

• weakening
• fading
• going
• sagging
• sinking
• lagging
• deteriorating
• decaying
• drooping
• flagging
• languishing
• wilting
• withering
• wasting (away)
• emaciating
• wearing out
• rotting
• yielding
• breaking down
• degenerating
• running down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• recovering
• rallying
• gaining
• recuperating
• convalescing
• rebounding

5

as in forgetting

to miss the opportunity or obligation

failed to mention that he was looking for new job

Synonyms & Similar Words

• forgetting
• neglecting
• omitting
• ignoring
• missing out on
• disregarding
• sliding
• passing over
• defaulting
• skipping
• overlooking
• pretermitting
• slipping
• overpassing
• slighting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• remembering
• keeping
• doing
• performing
• observing
• executing
• practicing
• carrying out
• heeding
• fulfilling
• meeting
• satisfying
• minding
• discharging
• complying (with)

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

Recent Examples of fail

Verb

Eight of the squad must have been registered in England or Wales for three full seasons before their 21st birthday, but Chelsea are not in danger of failing to meet that threshold. — Liam Twomey, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026

LandSpace tried to bring the booster back for a touchdown that day as well, but the attempt failed. — Mike Wall, Space.com, 19 Aug. 2026

Noun

The boot camp fosters an environment where students feel comfortable failing, said Saint Juste, 20, who will attend Kennesaw State University in the fall. — Francesca Pinney, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026

If Fauci was the patron saint of all that was good about public health, he was also demonized for all of its failings. — Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 28 July 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

Verb

The suit was not filed under a new law passed earlier this year, which requires more regular inspections of the Geo facility and empowers state authorities to penalize the company for failing to comply with communicable disease probes. — Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 19 Aug. 2026

Ward was also charged with drunken driving and failing to reduce speed to avoid a collision, police said. — Dennis Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026