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
as in to collapse
to be unsuccessful
despite all the publicity, the movie failed miserably at the box office
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to weaken
to lose bodily strength or vigor
ever since she reached the age of 90, Grandma has been noticeably failing
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to forget
to miss the opportunity or obligation
failed to mention that he was looking for new job
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fail
Youth fails us, the woman says.
—
Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
According to the report, the facility failed to notify ICE leadership of the medical risk.
—Laura Romero, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
Trump’s allies see Swalwell’s bid to boost his candidacy as likely to fail.
—Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Accurate positioning is critical for autonomous flight, but Global Navigation Satellite Systems often fail due to signal blockage, interference, or spoofing.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fail
Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
According to the report, the facility failed to notify ICE leadership of the medical risk.
—Laura Romero, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
Trump’s allies see Swalwell’s bid to boost his candidacy as likely to fail.
—Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Accurate positioning is critical for autonomous flight, but Global Navigation Satellite Systems often fail due to signal blockage, interference, or spoofing.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fail
Verb
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Investigators would spend weeks building their case, combing through nearly 7,000 texts exchanged over the three months before Harold died.—
Peter Van Sant,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
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Cormorants that tried to clean each other with their beaks died after ingesting the viscous muck.—
Jeffrey Marlow,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The innermost rim formed later, when a mountain at the crater’s center collapsed.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
4 Apr. 2026
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Eventually, Pearlene collapsed and died inside a makeshift bathroom in the family’s trailer, which had no running water or electricity.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That result may have disappointed some considering AC Boise dominated the scoring chances in its home debut.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
5 Apr. 2026
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Bill Murray, for one, is accustomed to complex if not disappointing sporting dynamics.—
Andrew Carter,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But the president contends there is no excuse for the lack of participation now that Iran's navy has been sunk and its air defenses severely weakened.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
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In the state’s view, that weakens or muddies the legal boundary between the two types of gambling venues.—
Amanda Greenwood,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And don't forget to join the Bake Club Group chat over on Substack.—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 Apr. 2026
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And Gulf citizens aren’t going to forgive and forget.—
Mohammed Sergie,
semafor.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Witnesses saw the aircraft flying low, then take a steep right turn before crashing into the building about six miles south of the airport in Lantana, according to the report.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
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Its intelligence is unclear — did the spaceship that crashes in Antarctica at the beginning of the film belong to the Thing, or its unfortunate host?—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Kane did not play either of them, missing the Japan game as a precaution.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2026
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The Will County Sheriff's Office confirmed on Monday that more remains have been found in the same location where the bones of a missing man were discovered last week.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The leader of the Ex-Slave Pension Association was later imprisoned on mail fraud charges, and the organization faded away, while the Eagles became one of the pressure groups that eventually led to Social Security.—
Trevor Jackson,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
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Pensions faded, and a new system of 401(k) retirement savings rewarded Americans for working longer.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fail. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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