as in weaknesses
a defect in character
we could talk about your failings, but it would take all night
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Recent Examples of failings
Isolated by its beautiful, rugged mountains, West Virginia sits entirely within Appalachia and has long been listed at the bottom of a laundry list of failings, including poor health and a lack of education.
—
ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026
More accurately, these failings are arrogance and incompetence.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026
Nicole Tallman’s job as a senior staffer under Miami-Dade County’s mayor puts her on the frontlines of county government’s many failings, mishaps and challenges.
—Douglas Hanks
april 1, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
Before 1956, addiction to drugs and alcohol were considered failings in morality or personal will.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2026
Diana Freed, assistant professor at Brown University, and PHD student Julio Poveda explained how even chatbots tailored at helping domestic abuse survivors can be rife with privacy failings.
—Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026
In a game that was a harsh departure from a successful spring and an unpleasant reminder of last season’s failings, the Giants barely put up a fight, losing to the Yankees, 7-0.
—Sports Columnist, San Francisco Chronicle, 25 Mar. 2026
Because the Duggars adhere to a fundamentalist fringe of evangelicalism, the liberal media are often quick to use the family’s failings as a cautionary tale about Christianity in general, and conservatives can be too quick to interpret criticism of the family as criticism of the church.
—Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026
Okrent’s failings are, unsurprisingly, primarily those of omission.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026
More accurately, these failings are arrogance and incompetence.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026
Nicole Tallman’s job as a senior staffer under Miami-Dade County’s mayor puts her on the frontlines of county government’s many failings, mishaps and challenges.
—Douglas Hanks
april 1, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
Before 1956, addiction to drugs and alcohol were considered failings in morality or personal will.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2026
Diana Freed, assistant professor at Brown University, and PHD student Julio Poveda explained how even chatbots tailored at helping domestic abuse survivors can be rife with privacy failings.
—Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026
In a game that was a harsh departure from a successful spring and an unpleasant reminder of last season’s failings, the Giants barely put up a fight, losing to the Yankees, 7-0.
—Sports Columnist, San Francisco Chronicle, 25 Mar. 2026
Because the Duggars adhere to a fundamentalist fringe of evangelicalism, the liberal media are often quick to use the family’s failings as a cautionary tale about Christianity in general, and conservatives can be too quick to interpret criticism of the family as criticism of the church.
—Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026
Okrent’s failings are, unsurprisingly, primarily those of omission.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for failings
Noun
-
Let’s examine their specs, strengths, weaknesses and differences, along with how Edmunds’ car experts rated them overall and in specific categories.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Their weaknesses could be balanced with machine strengths.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Still, these are minor faults compared to an enjoyably harsh yet perceptive look at the psychology of Silicon Valley elites.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Hurley, for all his faults, is the best coach of basketball.—
Nick Canepa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
As reported by Artribune, the provocateur, who recently made headlines for inviting the public to confess their sins to him, is now asking participants to bring an object of their choosing to a sunrise gathering, where it can be exchanged with others.—
Devorah Lauter,
ARTnews.com,
10 Apr. 2026
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Buddhists often celebrate Vesak with processions, by visiting temples, meditating and through acts of fasting, while adherents in India may immerse themselves in the river Ganga to wash away their sins.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Curry might not be thrilled with so frequently making the play-in tournament, where the Warriors are 1-3, but no one can blame him for their shortcomings.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Russia, in any event, is a convenient foil for Europe’s own shortcomings in Hungary.—
Kapil Komireddi,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Failings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/failings. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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