1
as in dies
to stop functioning
my car failed just as I was about to head to work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
But too often that has become shorthand for a stodgy and unresponsive sector that fails to respond to customer demand.
—
Kamal Ahmed,
Fortune,
3 July 2026
Standard sonar often fails in shallow waters, while cameras are blinded by shifting sands and the simple distortion of rolling ocean waves.
—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
3 July 2026
The ‘jeans and a nice top’ outfit formula never fails, as Margot Robbie knows.
—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
3 July 2026
Clean data can determine whether your project fails or accelerates your business.
—
Saeed Amidi,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
Tapping into the sporting zeitgeist, the slapstick animation, sees Daffy Duck confounded when Elmer Fudd fails to turn up for duck hunting season.
—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
22 June 2026
An extended car warranty can save electric vehicle (EV) owners thousands of dollars when a critical component, such as an electric motor or battery management system, fails unexpectedly.
—
Emily Mercer,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
If the power grid fails, Prospect Lake will keep on running, Padron said.
—
Susannah Bryan,
Sun Sentinel,
21 June 2026
So, when all else fails, ask for help coming up with an idea to make a summer birthday stand out when a party isn’t a possibility.
—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
21 June 2026
Kamal Ahmed,
Fortune,
3 July 2026
Standard sonar often fails in shallow waters, while cameras are blinded by shifting sands and the simple distortion of rolling ocean waves.
—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
3 July 2026
The ‘jeans and a nice top’ outfit formula never fails, as Margot Robbie knows.
—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
3 July 2026
Clean data can determine whether your project fails or accelerates your business.
—
Saeed Amidi,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
Tapping into the sporting zeitgeist, the slapstick animation, sees Daffy Duck confounded when Elmer Fudd fails to turn up for duck hunting season.
—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
22 June 2026
An extended car warranty can save electric vehicle (EV) owners thousands of dollars when a critical component, such as an electric motor or battery management system, fails unexpectedly.
—
Emily Mercer,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
If the power grid fails, Prospect Lake will keep on running, Padron said.
—
Susannah Bryan,
Sun Sentinel,
21 June 2026
So, when all else fails, ask for help coming up with an idea to make a summer birthday stand out when a party isn’t a possibility.
—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
21 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fails
Verb
-
Not obsessed One Wish Willow Nikki, but actual Nikki, now awoken from her curse when Bear dies.
-
Village People singer dies at 74 Willis was known for often performing with Village People in costume as a Navy admiral or police officer.
Verb
-
Corruption deepened, the economy entered one of the worst collapses in modern history, and a humanitarian crisis pushed close to a third of the population out of the country.
-
By contrast, Roberts’s opinion in Slaughter collapses this distinction.
Verb
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If Starship stalls or autonomy disappoints, his paper trillion evaporates.
-
This is one of the big reasons so much AI work disappoints.
Verb
-
When the dollar weakens, commodity prices expressed in dollars tend to rise to maintain purchasing power parity for buyers operating in other currencies.
-
But the corresponding upheaval is still catastrophic for any surrounding planets, which either get swallowed up by the expanding star, or drift into wider orbits as the star’s gravity weakens—some are flung out from the system entirely.
Verb
-
There’s a great accidental gag in a cut bit from the original MTV pilot when a deputy pulls up to arrest Knoxville and forgets to put her car in park.
-
Each time the price comes back down, Europe forgets what the spike was trying to say.
Verb
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Yeah, right after a guy crashes through the roof is the perfect time to step out for a cigarette.
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The theory is that once a critical part fails, the drone crashes.
Verb
-
Memorizing where relationships happen in every country misses the point.
-
Yet that misses the gentle buzz of excitement when Secrets visited.
Verb
-
But rental business owners like Zhao observed that the rental prices have begun to slide as novelty surrounding these stunt-performing androids fades.
-
But as hope of finding survivors fades and the number of dead continues to climb, many fear the political aftershocks of the disaster may prove nearly as destabilizing as the earthquake itself.
Cite this Entry
“Fails.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fails. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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