1
as in dies
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 collapses
to be unsuccessful
despite all the publicity, the movie failed miserably at the box office
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in disappoints
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
as in weakens
to lose bodily strength or vigor
ever since she reached the age of 90, Grandma has been noticeably failing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in forgets
to miss the opportunity or obligation
failed to mention that he was looking for new job
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fails
Over time, blood vessels begin leaking, leading to bleeding, blood pressure can drop, blood fails to reach different parts of the body and the kidneys can fail.
—
Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Why polarization holds where charge fails Ferroelectricity refers to the ability of certain materials to maintain a permanent, spontaneous electric polarization.
—Deena Theresa, Interesting Engineering, 18 May 2026
But tolerance remains a critical American value, and this column fails to acknowledge that.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 18 May 2026
Gödel’s incompleteness theorems show with mathematical precision that this ideal necessarily fails for large parts of mathematics.
—Quanta Magazine, 18 May 2026
But even that fails to generate tangible drama, as do ongoing tensions about the circumstances of the real Kakeru’s death.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
This backward-looking approach fails entirely against novel attack vectors like synthetic identity creation and deepfake social engineering.
—Ethan Stone, USA Today, 11 May 2026
Statistically, the first launch from a private company almost always fails.
—Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 11 May 2026
Overall, Stewart said grade fluctuations can occur when a hospital’s performance worsens or fails to improve at the same pace as other hospitals.
—Daniel I. Dorfman, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026
Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Why polarization holds where charge fails Ferroelectricity refers to the ability of certain materials to maintain a permanent, spontaneous electric polarization.
—Deena Theresa, Interesting Engineering, 18 May 2026
But tolerance remains a critical American value, and this column fails to acknowledge that.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 18 May 2026
Gödel’s incompleteness theorems show with mathematical precision that this ideal necessarily fails for large parts of mathematics.
—Quanta Magazine, 18 May 2026
But even that fails to generate tangible drama, as do ongoing tensions about the circumstances of the real Kakeru’s death.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
This backward-looking approach fails entirely against novel attack vectors like synthetic identity creation and deepfake social engineering.
—Ethan Stone, USA Today, 11 May 2026
Statistically, the first launch from a private company almost always fails.
—Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 11 May 2026
Overall, Stewart said grade fluctuations can occur when a hospital’s performance worsens or fails to improve at the same pace as other hospitals.
—Daniel I. Dorfman, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fails
Verb
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Own a $1 million condo and your spouse dies?—
Greg Raiff,
Fortune,
16 May 2026
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If every truth that creates legal complexity dies on contact, people stop raising anything that might trigger those functions at all.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
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According to our models, when a massive, Population III star reaches the end of its life, its core collapses into a black hole, but the resulting supernova explosion isn’t energetic enough to blow the entire star apart.—
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
13 May 2026
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These make tunneling more efficient and safer, by maintaining constant pressure in the area surrounding the subway tunnel, making collapses virtually impossible, Metro reported.—
Steve Scauzillo,
Daily News,
7 May 2026
Verb
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But Hilton disappoints again and again.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
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Canvas Bucket Hats Inspired by Jennifer Aniston Jennifer Aniston’s Instagram never disappoints, often including adorable dogs, friends (sometimes THE Friends), and enviable hair to boot.—
Claire West,
PEOPLE,
8 May 2026
Verb
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As complexity rises, decisions fragment, priorities shift and trust weakens.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
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Excluding unhoused people from public spaces reinforces stigma and weakens the social bonds that support stability and recovery.—
Shianne LeClaire,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
Verb
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Étienne, however, never forgets his first tussle in the woods with Bartosz (Julian Swiezewski), a Polish trucker who saves his lover’s skin when the cops show up to arrest them and other men for indecent behavior.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
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But what if the goalie forgets to do that or doesn’t keep an eye on the clock?—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
13 May 2026
Verb
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The device crashes into the asphalt, with no explosion.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
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Cast Away tells the story of FedEx troubleshooter Chuck Noland (Hanks) who becomes stranded on a deserted island after his plane crashes in the South Pacific.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
18 May 2026
Verb
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If your former spouse misses payments, your credit takes the hit too.—
Gary Singer,
Sun Sentinel,
14 May 2026
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This summer’s hits and misses could have an outsize influence on Hollywood’s future spending habits.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Ducks’ top line fades The Ducks’ top line of Leo Carlsson centering Chris Kreider and Troy Terry had a quiet ending to the series after a very productive opening round against Edmonton.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
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In terms of where to beach, wide stretches of sand in Beach Haven remain some of the Jersey Shore’s most desirable, drawing surfers at sunrise, families hauling coolers and striped umbrellas by midday, and sunset walkers lingering until the sky fades pink over the dunes.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fails.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fails. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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