Synonyms of failures

failures

noun

plural of failure

1

as in defeats

a falling short of one's goals

the failure of the school's fund-raising drive was a big disappointment to all

Synonyms & Similar Words

• defeats
• collapses
• setbacks
• crashes
• disappointments
• deficiencies
• futilities
• croppers
• inadequacies
• nonachievements
• fizzles
• nonsuccesses
• insufficiencies
• letdowns
• inefficacies
• ineffectualities

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• successes
• achievements
• accomplishments
• victories
• wins

2

as in disasters

something that has failed

the students' first attempt to build a homemade rocket was a disappointing failure

Synonyms & Similar Words

• disasters
• disappointments
• catastrophes
• bombs
• losers
• busts
• fiascoes
• shipwrecks
• flops
• debacles
• misses
• washouts
• frosts
• duds
• lemons
• messes
• clinkers
• bummers
• turkeys
• clunkers
• fizzles
• dogs
• shambles
• hashes
• botches
• near misses
• has-beens
• also-rans
• nonevents
• muddles
• nonstarters

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• successes
• hits
• winners
• blockbusters
• phenomena
• smashes
• dandies
• corkers
• crackerjacks
• jim-dandies

3

as in shortages

a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number

the failure of the potato crop had a devastating effect on the population of Ireland

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shortages
• lacks
• deficiencies
• inadequacies
• deficits
• insufficiencies
• absences
• droughts
• lacunae
• scarcities
• famines
• poverties
• omissions
• undersupplies
• wants
• dearths
• paucities
• crunches
• pinches
• necessities
• needs
• privations

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• adequacies
• sufficiencies
• amplitudes
• abundances
• excesses
• wealths
• plenties
• plenitudes
• surpluses
• opulences
• oversupplies
• surfeits
• overabundances

4

as in bankruptcies

the inability to pay one's debts

years of prolonged economic depression, when business failures were common

Synonyms & Similar Words

• bankruptcies
• ruins
• insolvencies
• Chapter 11s

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• solvencies

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of failures

While Shelby was clearly an exceptional candidate, his success was largely predicated on your failures. — Arkansas Online, 9 Nov. 2026

Obstacles, wind, sensor errors, or other system failures can prevent it from completing the maneuver safely. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2026

Her campaign included stunts like her snorkeling in a trench filled with water in the middle of one of the city’s roads in an attempt to highlight the failures. — Gerald Imray, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2026

Other than some axle seal leak issues, there are no widespread technical bulletins related to transfer case failures. — John Paul Senior Manager Public Affairs and Traffic Safety Aaa Northeast, Hartford Courant, 7 Nov. 2026

The Cybertruck was one of the most epic failures in modern automotive history. — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 7 Nov. 2026

Teams need visibility into agent behavior to investigate failures, roll back changes and stop unsafe execution. — Lakshmanan Alagappan, Forbes.com, 6 Nov. 2026

The agency cited nine reports of failures to alert users to smoke or fire. — Rich Percival, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2026

New Yorkers shouldn’t pass up the opportunity to address those failures. — Ryder Kessler, New York Daily News, 1 Nov. 2026