1
as in negligence
the nonperformance of an assigned or expected action
your failure to check the batteries in the smoke detector could have tragic results
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in defeat
a falling short of one's goals
the failure of the school's fund-raising drive was a big disappointment to all
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in disaster
something that has failed
the students' first attempt to build a homemade rocket was a disappointing failure
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in shortage
a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number
the failure of the potato crop had a devastating effect on the population of Ireland
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in bankruptcy
the inability to pay one's debts
years of prolonged economic depression, when business failures were common
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of failure
This is a classic Washington move — blame the private sector to cover for a government failure.
—
Stacy Washington, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 June 2025
Yesterday, when asked about Musk’s criticism--which could sink the entire bill, if enough Senate Republicans like Ron Johnson and their constituents turn against it--the president chalked it up to sour grapes over the bill’s failure to extend EV tax credits.
—Kelly Evans, CNBC, 6 June 2025
Liver failure: Your liver detoxifies substances and medication byproducts in your body.
—Heidi Moawad, Verywell Health, 5 June 2025
Lynch said Rodriguez was initially arrested on May 28 by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force and the Bridgeport Police Department on five failure to appear warrants for cases from the Bridgeport and Branford Police Departments as well as the Connecticut State Police.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for failure
Stacy Washington, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 June 2025
Yesterday, when asked about Musk’s criticism--which could sink the entire bill, if enough Senate Republicans like Ron Johnson and their constituents turn against it--the president chalked it up to sour grapes over the bill’s failure to extend EV tax credits.
—Kelly Evans, CNBC, 6 June 2025
Liver failure: Your liver detoxifies substances and medication byproducts in your body.
—Heidi Moawad, Verywell Health, 5 June 2025
Lynch said Rodriguez was initially arrested on May 28 by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force and the Bridgeport Police Department on five failure to appear warrants for cases from the Bridgeport and Branford Police Departments as well as the Connecticut State Police.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for failure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for failure
Noun
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The suit indicates three counts of negligence and carelessness which resulted in Xavier Anderson’s death and parties should be held liable.—
Kennedy Sessions,
Kansas City Star,
13 June 2025
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The jury found that Elijah’s negligence also proximately caused his death.—
Emerson Clarridge,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 June 2025
Noun
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Although an appeal remains possible, the ruling delivers a decisive and public defeat for Baldoni and Wayfarer in their attempt to reframe the fallout over the film.—
Josh Rottenberg,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
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The Champions League brought an elimination at the hands of Real Madrid in the Round of 16 and there was heartbreak in the FA Cup final for the second consecutive year with defeat to Cyrstal Palace.—
Dan Cancian,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
Noun
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Similarly, the market-resilience work performed by a lab at the University of California, Davis, offers solutions to farmers and agricultural communities that are vulnerable to intensifying weather disasters.—
Peter Slevin,
New Yorker,
9 June 2025
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Federal database that tracked costly weather disasters no longer being updated How to prepare for an earthquake disaster Huge earthquakes have long been an existential crisis for millions along the West Coast, as described in a 2022 USA TODAY article.—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
8 June 2025
Noun
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Japan began experiencing a matcha shortage in late 2024, as global interest in the powdered green tea spiked, according to the Global Japanese Tea Association.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
13 June 2025
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The pilot in Hawaii began with engineering majors because the state is heavily dependent on engineers in its key defense, construction and tourism industries — but has a chronic shortage of them.—
Jon Marcus,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2025
Noun
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The studios won $62.4 million in damages, eventually reduced to a $9.9 million settlement after VidAngel filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
6 June 2025
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Lopez insisted that had to be done through the federal bankruptcy court and a trustee.—
Tovia Smith,
NPR,
6 June 2025
Noun
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The building sustained damage from neglect and vandalism, which prompted Carbone to take the owners to court to request making Torrington the receiver of the inn to find a new developer.—
Emily M. Olson,
Hartford Courant,
7 June 2025
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To report incidents of animal neglect and abuse, contact the Cruelty Hotline at 866-601-7722.—
TJ Macias,
Miami Herald,
3 June 2025
Noun
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Critics of renewables will rightly point out that renewables are cheap as long as battery storage is not included in their price, and the sudden collapse of an entire electric grid for 12 hours incurs a staggering economic burden that should be priced into cost calculations.—
Erik Kobayashi-Solomon,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
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Beutel, a computer engineer specializing in mountain monitoring, had just witnessed a glacier collapse.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
7 June 2025
Noun
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Brandon Bell/Getty Images What To Know A chronic lack of inventory, partially due to the fact that homebuilders in the U.S. significantly underbuilt in the years following the 2008 crash, contributed to bringing U.S. home prices through the roof in recent years.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
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In American literature, this is perhaps a relatively recent phenomenon too, one that could be attributed to a lack of global (and local) educational foundation.—
Aram Mrjoian
June 6,
Literary Hub,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Failure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/failure. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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