Definition Synonyms
Definition of failure - Reverso English Dictionary
Noun
1.
achievementlack of success in achieving something
- The project was a failure.
2.
evaluationunsuccessful person or thing
- He felt like a failure after losing the job.
3.
mechanicsbreakdown in function or operation
- The engine failure caused the car to stop.
4.
medicaldecline in health or strength
- The patient's heart failure was critical.
5.
bankruptcystate of being bankrupt
- The company's failure led to its closure.
6.
dutyomission to do something expected
- His failure to apologize was noted.
Expressions with failure
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
create conditions that make success unlikely
The lack of resources set the team up for failure.
likely to fail due to certain circumstances
The project was destined for failure from the start.
not succeed in achieving a goal
Despite their efforts, they met with failure in the project.
young adult's inability to start independent life
His failure to launch worried his parents.
equivalent to failing in effect or outcome
Skipping the final presentation; it's tantamount to failure in this course.
unscheduled break in electricity supply
The storm caused a power failure in the city.
bank shuts down after failing to pay what it owes
The bank failure sparked panic among depositors.
plants produce far less than normal because of bad weather or pests
Weeks of drought led to crop failure across the region.
certain to fail or be unsuccessful
The project was doomed to failure from the start.
situation where an engine stops working
The plane had to land due to engine failure.
lack of effective communication between people
The project's delay was due to a failure to communicate.
anxiety about not succeeding
Her fear of failure kept her from trying new things.
breakdown of a machine when its moving parts stop working correctly
The accident was blamed on mechanical failure in the car's braking system.
situation where success is unlikely
The lack of resources was a setup for failure.
situation where a company cannot continue because it loses too much money
Poor planning turned the small startup into a sudden business failure.
breakdown of power or wiring that stops equipment or lights working
The train stopped in the tunnel because of an electrical failure.
view setbacks as opportunities for growth
He embraced failure to improve his skills.
situation where an item stops working or does not perform as expected
The company investigated the product failure to improve the design.
complete lack of success in a major way
The project was a resounding failure, costing millions.
situation where required rules or orders are not followed or obeyed
Failure to comply with safety regulations can result in heavy fines.
complete lack of success
The project was an abject failure due to poor planning.
complete lack of success
The project was a dismal failure and wasted a lot of resources.
failing at something is the best way to learn how to succeed at it
Failure is the best teacher when learning new skills.
event or action that fails spectacularly
His attempt to climb the mountain ended in a monumental failure.
Origin of failure
Old French, faillir (to fail)
Terms with failure 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.
general meaning
success or failure apparently brought by chance
failure
fail to hit a target or goal
failure
having failed or broken
mechanical failure
failure to function properly
failure
person who fails to win or succeed
habitual failure
habitually failing to win
achievement
failure to hit or achieve something
dangerous
involving danger or the chance of failure
acknowledgment
acknowledge failure in a task
encouragement
used to wish future success after failure
electricity
large-scale power failure affecting many people
narrow escape
situation narrowly avoiding danger or failure
failure
fail to achieve success or desired result in an event
probability
situation with equal success and failure likelihood
failure
fail to be completed, usually of plans or arrangements
failure
fail completely not to be successful at all
failure
complete failure, especially in entertainment
failure
stop functioning or become exhausted
forgiveness opportunity
allow someone to try again after a mistake or failure
serious failure
fail in a serious or disastrous way
failure
fail to achieve the desired result
failure
not achieve the desired result
comprehension
failure to understand something correctly
failure
no possibility of success or occurrence
Examples of failure in a sentence
The experiment's failure taught them valuable lessons. The new app was a failure, drawing only a few downloads. The tabloids called him a failure, despite his years of training. The failure of the system led to a blackout. Pump failure resulted in flooding of the basement. His kidney failure required immediate dialysis.
The doctor monitored her liver failure closely. His financial failure was unexpected. The bank's failure shocked the market. The company admitted its failure to protect customer data. Her failure to attend the hearing delayed the case.
View all translations of failure
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:échec, panne, ...
- German:Misserfolg, Versager, ...
- Italian:fallimento, insuccesso, ...
- Spanish:fracaso, frustrado, ...
- Portuguese:fracasso, falhado, ...
- Chinese:失败, 失败者, ...
- Japanese:失敗, 失敗者, ...
- Arabic:فَشَل, فاشِل, ...
- Hebrew:כִּשָּׁלוֹן, כִּישָּׁלוֹן, ...
- Russian:провал, неудачник, ...
- Ukrainian:провал, невдаха, ...
- Hindi:असफलता, असफल व्यक्ति, ...
icon to discover related terms: analogies, antonyms, common collocates, words with same roots, umbrella terms… Try with happening or hunch.
icon next to the first example to see two additional options and learn to use new vocabulary naturally.
icon to save words you want to revisit. You can also save a specific meaning by clicking on the