Definition of fail - Reverso English Dictionary
Verb
1.
goaltr. be unsuccessful in achieving a goaltr.
- He failed to win the race.
2.
neglecttr. not do something expected or requiredtr.
- She failed to submit her assignment.
3.
malfunctionintr. stop working or operating properlyintr.
- The engine failed during the flight.
4.
academictr. receive a non-passing grade in a coursetr.
- He failed math last semester.
5.
performancetr. disappoint or not meet expectationstr.
- His friends failed him when he needed them.
6.
schooltr. US give a student a non-passing gradetr. US
- The teacher failed half the class.
7.
financeintr. become bankrupt or insolventintr.
- The company failed after the recession.
Noun
1.
outcomelack of success in achieving or doing something
- Despite his efforts, his attempt was a fail..
2.
educationUS failing grade in an academic examinationUS
- He received a fail in mathematics.
3.
financefailure in a financial transaction
- The bank's fail led to a market crash.
Expressions with fail
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always happens or is done
She calls her mother every Sunday without fail.
advance in career despite failures or incompetence
He seemed to fail upwards, getting promotions despite mistakes.
fail earlier to minimize negative impacts
Startups often adopt a fail fast approach to innovate.
not become popular or widely accepted
The new fashion trend failed to catch on.
certain to be unsuccessful
The project was doomed to fail from the start.
unable to express feelings
When I saw the view, words fail me.
unable to speak due to strong emotions
When you see the wreckage, words fail you.
perform badly at key aims, mishandle routine duties
After losing two jobs, he felt he was failing at life.
be completely unsuccessful in an attempt
He tried to fix the car but failed miserably.
unable to express feelings or thoughts with words
Words fail when I try to describe my love for you.
not provide what was promised expected or required
The company failed to deliver on its promise of faster service.
take risks without fear of failure
She dared to fail and started her own business.
doomed to not succeed
Their plan was destined to fail due to poor preparation.
not happen or not become real as expected
The promised bonus failed to materialize.
lose courage or confidence because of fear or stress
He wanted to speak, but his nerves failed at the last moment.
not follow a rule, request, or law as required
Companies may be fined if they fail to comply with safety regulations.
very big failure that is funny or surprising
That was an epic fail during the presentation!
situation where a fostered animal is permanently adopted
Their foster fail led to adopting the dog permanently.
guaranteed to succeed without failure
This is a no-fail recipe for beginners.
uses only pass or fail as possible results
This is a pass-fail course, not a letter-graded one.
considered vital to prevent economic collapse
The bank is too big to fail, so it received a bailout.
prevents harm or automatically adjusts if something fails
This fail-safe device shuts down safely if it breaks.
Origin of fail
Latin, fallere (deceive)
Terms with fail included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
sports
fail to win a game or competition
failure
fail to hit a target or goal
absence
fail to attend an event or activity
memory
fail to remember something or someone
violation
fail to observe a law or agreement
neglect
fail to remember to do something
overlook
fail to notice or perceive something
reliable
not likely to change or fail
opportunity
fail to take advantage of an opportunity
machinery
malfunction or fail to function correctly
commitment
fail to fulfill a commitment made to someone
promise
fail to keep a promise or commitment
deception
fail to trick someone because they understand the truth
failure
fail to achieve success or desired result in an event
rule breaking
fail to follow a rule or command
perception
fail to see or become aware of something happening or present
progress
fail to keep up with others
failure
fail to be completed, usually of plans or arrangements
failure
fail completely not to be successful at all
late tasks
fail to do something by the expected time
work or payments
fail to do tasks or payments on time
execution
fail to execute a task correctly
serious failure
fail in a serious or disastrous way
unfulfilled purpose
fail to achieve intended purpose
Examples of fail in a sentence
The team failed to qualify for the finals. He failed to call her back. They failed to notice the warning signs. The computer system failed unexpectedly. The lights failed during the storm. She might fail the course if she doesn't study.
Many students fail the exam due to its difficulty. The project failed to deliver the expected results. The experiment failed due to a lack of resources. The professor failed two students for plagiarism. She was failed in chemistry after missing the final exam. Many small businesses fail during economic downturns. The startup failed due to poor financial management. The project was a complete fail. His first attempt was a big fail. A fail in chemistry meant he had to retake the course. She was disappointed with her fail in history. The unexpected fail caused panic among investors. A major fail disrupted the entire trading day.
View all translations of fail
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:échouer, échec, ...
- German:verfehlen, Misserfolg, ...
- Italian:fallire, sconfitta, ...
- Spanish:fracasar, falla, ...
- Portuguese:falhar, fracasso, ...
- Chinese:未能, 交易失败, ...
- Japanese:失敗する, 失敗, ...
- Arabic:فَشِلَ, فشل, ...
- Hebrew:לְהִיכָּשֵׁל, כִּשָּׁלוֹן, ...
- Russian:не удаваться, провал, ...
- Ukrainian:зазнати невдачі, невдача, ...
- Hindi:विफल होना, असफलता, ...
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