fail

1
as in to die
to stop functioning my car failed just as I was about to head to work

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
as in to disappoint
to fall short in satisfying the expectation or hope of although the minor-league franchise continues to fail local fans, hope springs eternal

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
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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 fail Zoom in: Harris County grand jurors have twice declined to press charges of criminally negligent homicide against drivers accused by police of failing to yield right-of-way and killing someone in a crosswalk since the Lisa Torry Smith Act took effect in September 2021, according to an Axios review. Jay R. Jordan, Axios, 30 Jan. 2025 While incarcerated in the 1990s, Farmer filed a lawsuit in federal court alleging that federal prison officials deliberately and indifferently failed to protect her as a prisoner from rape and assault. Jaclyn Diaz, NPR, 30 Jan. 2025 The first vote to extend the ban through this year, which required four votes, failed 3-2, with Supervisor Karm Bains joining Flores in voting against it. Jake Goodrick, Sacramento Bee, 30 Jan. 2025 On the other hand, one failing component could indicate that other parts of the oven will fail soon too. Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for fail 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fail
Verb
  • The filmmaker's grandfather on his mother's side, who died before Coogler was born, and his Uncle James, who passed away during the making of Creed, were from Mississippi.
    Nick Romano, EW.com, 28 Jan. 2025
  • Kimberly was previously married to Steven Roads, who died from a heart attack in 2005.
    Lauryn Overhultz, Fox News, 28 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • According to a 2021 Government Accountability Office report, collapsing the D.C. office drove out the agency’s most experienced employees and more than doubled the number of vacancies.
    Frederick Reimers, Outside Online, 27 Jan. 2025
  • Because several portions of the building had collapsed, firefighters were attempting to subdue the blaze from outside, Baltimore County Fire Department Cpt.
    Todd Karpovich, Baltimore Sun, 25 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • People who were divorced, tired, in debt, ill fed, disappointed with their own choices.
    Samanta Schweblin, The New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2025
  • Mara didn’t disappoint in his career-high 30 minutes inside Alaska Airlines Arena, dominating on both ends during UCLA’s 65-60 victory over Washington.
    Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • China's offshore yuan weakened to a record low of 7.3765, while the dollar touched a more than 20-year high against its Canadian counterpart.
    Suzanne McGee and Isla Binnie, USA TODAY, 3 Feb. 2025
  • As the company scales back on its ability to offer ultra-low prices, the appeal of its fast-fashion model may weaken, putting its market position at risk.
    Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 3 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • There are some Ivan Pace Jr. qualities here, and teams shouldn’t forget that.
    Nick Baumgardner, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025
  • Both groups will try to forget about their record and season to date on Thursday during the first of two games.
    Tony East, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • In September, a pair of 17-year-olds were accused of operating and crashing an unoccupied subway at the Briarwood station, charged with criminal mischief and reckless endangerment.
    Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025
  • The moment a fighter jet crashed at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska has been caught on camera.
    Gabrielle Rockson, People.com, 29 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Butler would return and play three games, but his second suspension came after missing a team flight for a road trip last Wednesday, resulting in another two games being docked.
    Scott Thompson, Fox News, 27 Jan. 2025
  • If there is a second set of eyes and ears during a visit with the healthcare provider, things are less likely to be missed.
    Julie Scott, MSN, ANP-BC, AOCNP, Verywell Health, 27 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • When in a strongly acidic environment, its color fades, becoming pink/red.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Jan. 2025
  • From Hailey Bieber to Emily Ratajkowski, the starry allure of this coat show no sign of fading, yet Griffiths remains convinced of the coat’s democratic appeal.
    Joy Montgomery, Vogue, 29 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near fail

Cite this Entry

“Fail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fail. Accessed 6 Feb. 2025.

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