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

Visible failures of short-term extractive logic, whether in business or politics, erode intellectual cover. — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026

Other major El Niño episodes brought crop failures, devastating peatland fires, and prolonged droughts. — Karryl Kim Sagun Trajano, Fortune, 2 Aug. 2026

Starting immediately after the arraignment, our motions repeatedly proved that the administration was to blame for the Reflecting Pool failures, not Davey. — Arkansas Online, 2 Aug. 2026

The Dolphins’ failures to defend the run come in large part due to the then-trio of rookie defensive tackles – Kenneth Grant, Jordan Phillips and Zeek Biggers – that the team relied upon heavily. — Miami Herald, 25 July 2026

Emergency repairs or system failures almost always result in overtime requests, stretching budgets and leading to burnout among employees, according to more than half of utility executives who responded to the survey. — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2026

Lestat may have been narrating his failures this past season, but the series is celebrating its accomplishments as executive producer Mark Johnson announced a season-four renewal. — Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 24 July 2026

In 2025, Texas sued Kenvue over alleged failures to warn consumers about the risks of taking the drug while pregnant. — Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 24 July 2026