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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disasters
something that has failed
the students' first attempt to build a homemade rocket was a disappointing failure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in bankruptcies
the inability to pay one's debts
years of prolonged economic depression, when business failures were common
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 failures
Every moment the Senate waits to confirm Antoni to overhaul the systemic failures of the BLS is one that risks the stability of global finance and American wealth.
—
Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
The high-profile bank failures of 2023—including Signature Bank and Silicon Valley Bank—triggered a contraction in CRE lending, particularly among regional banks.
—Andrew Denardo, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Meanwhile, no meaningful or legitimate local capacity is being developed to meet the surging jihadist threat or to confront any of the governance failures driving it.
—Alia Brahimi, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Some lawmakers are still pushing for answers on the federal agencies' planning, execution and leadership failures that allowed the shooting to take place.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
While the popular story highlights a federal civil rights victory, a more comprehensive examination reveals the triumph of white resistance, the failures of sustained federal oversight, and the longer history of Black student courage and activism.
—Time, 4 Sep. 2025
Even minor changes could result in cascading failures across programs.
—Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 28 Mar. 2025
Despite previous test failures and skepticism from space experts, Musk remains confident about his timeline.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 28 Mar. 2025
Alas, all three explanations only led to spectacular failures.
—Big Think, 27 Mar. 2025
Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
The high-profile bank failures of 2023—including Signature Bank and Silicon Valley Bank—triggered a contraction in CRE lending, particularly among regional banks.
—Andrew Denardo, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Meanwhile, no meaningful or legitimate local capacity is being developed to meet the surging jihadist threat or to confront any of the governance failures driving it.
—Alia Brahimi, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Some lawmakers are still pushing for answers on the federal agencies' planning, execution and leadership failures that allowed the shooting to take place.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
While the popular story highlights a federal civil rights victory, a more comprehensive examination reveals the triumph of white resistance, the failures of sustained federal oversight, and the longer history of Black student courage and activism.
—Time, 4 Sep. 2025
Even minor changes could result in cascading failures across programs.
—Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 28 Mar. 2025
Despite previous test failures and skepticism from space experts, Musk remains confident about his timeline.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 28 Mar. 2025
Alas, all three explanations only led to spectacular failures.
—Big Think, 27 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for failures
Noun
-
Interestingly, her three defeats at the grand slams this year have come at the hands of American opponents.—
Ben Morse,
CNN Money,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Think about athletes who train for years, face setbacks, injuries and defeats, yet continue pushing toward their goals.—
Aurelien Mangano,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
On Tuesday, 85 scientists released a 459-page rebuttal to the DOE report, highlighting a large body of scientific literature pointing to how climate change can exacerbate droughts, floods, crop failures, and other disasters.—
Robert Schmad,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Greengrass viewed the story of The Lost Bus through a similar lens, following a micro, primal cinematic story of survival that was ultimately about what these disasters mean on a macro level.—
Tomris Laffly,
Time,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
By last winter, after significant reconstruction, rolling blackouts were rare, and power shortages were mostly localized.—
Ken Silverstein,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
With rising costs, labor shortages and a push for more sustainable building methods, this kind of breakthrough could shape the future of American neighborhoods.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
About The Daily Money Each weekday, The Daily Money delivers the best consumer and financial news from USA TODAY, breaking down complex events, providing the TLDR version, and explaining how everything from Fed rate changes to bankruptcies impacts you.—
Betty Lin-Fisher,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Now is the time to act Even amid closures and bankruptcies, investors continue to bet on retail.—
Kristin Mueller,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Last season evolved into a 6-11 record beneath a year-long black cloud of injuries, personal traumas, fourth-quarter collapses, defensive deficiencies, and special-teams chaos.—
Cam Inman,
Mercury News,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Without adaptation, profitability collapses and solvency risks rise.—
Felicia Jackson,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Using her own romantic disappointments as a guide, Denise advises him to grieve by accepting the loss and forgiving the people who hurt him.—
Sara Netzley,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Sep. 2025
-
The Athletic’s tennis team, Matthew Futterman, Charlie Eccleshare and James Hansen, present their takeaways from the final Grand Slam of 2025, from the best shots and funniest moments to the biggest disappointments and the most incredible matches.—
The Athletic Tennis Staff,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
This absence — of God, of love, of plain community spirit — is a metaphor for the whole parish, where everyone is defined by their own lacks and deficiencies, the weaknesses that cause Wicks to despise them and vow to bring down them all.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
6 Sep. 2025
-
But Davies’s film has a patience and lightness of touch that Scorsese’s lacks, as well as a note-perfect lead in Gillian Anderson.—
Elle Carroll,
Vulture,
11 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
For the next three years, early intervention programs — including reading, music and speech therapy — helped monitor Ness' children, looking for possible cognitive or learning setbacks.—
Jeff Truesdell,
People.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Using real-world victories and setbacks, Williams outlines a replicable approach to leadership that empowers readers to achieve meaningful, lasting impact for their companies or communities.—
Forbes Books Press Release Official,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Failures.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/failures. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share