Fail (Verb)

Meaning ¹

Be unable; "I fail to understand your motives".

Classification

Verbs of political and social activities and events.

Antonyms

• Manage

Meaning ²

Disappoint, prove undependable to; abandon, forsake; "His sense of smell failed him this time"; "His strength finally failed him"; "His children failed him in the crisis".

Classification

Verbs of feeling.

Synonyms

• Betray

Hypernyms

• Let Down

Meaning ³

Fail to do something; leave something undone; "She failed to notice that her child was no longer in his crib"; "The secretary failed to call the customer and the company lost the account".

Classification

Verbs of political and social activities and events.

Synonyms

• Neglect

Hyponyms

• Default On

Related Words

• Failure (noun)

Meaning ⁴

Fall short in what is expected; "She failed in her obligations as a good daughter-in-law"; "We must not fail his obligation to the victims of the Holocaust".

Classification

Verbs of political and social activities and events.

Related Words

• Failure (noun)
• Failing (noun)

Meaning ⁵

Stop operating or functioning; "The engine finally went"; "The car died on the road"; "The bus we travelled in broke down on the way to town"; "The coffee maker broke"; "The engine failed on the way to town"; "her eyesight went after the accident".

Classification

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..

Synonyms

• Give Way
• Die
• Conk Out
• Break
• Break Down
• Go Bad
• Go
• Give Out

Hyponyms

• Blow
• Misfunction
• Go Down
• Burn Out

Related Words

• Failure (noun)

Meaning ⁶

Get worse; "Her health is declining".

Classification

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..

Hypernyms

• Decline

Meaning ⁷

Fail to get a passing grade; "She studied hard but failed nevertheless"; "Did I fail the test?".

Classification

Verbs of political and social activities and events.

Synonyms

• Flunk
• Flush It
• Bomb

Antonyms

• Pass

Related Words

• Failing (noun)

Meaning ⁸

Prove insufficient; "The water supply for the town failed after a long drought".

Classification

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..

Synonyms

• Run Out
• Give Out

Meaning ⁹

Be unsuccessful; "Where do today's public schools fail?"; "The attempt to rescue the hostages failed miserably".

Classification

Verbs of political and social activities and events.

Examples

• The company's new product will fail due to lack of customer interest.
• Her attempt to bake a cake from scratch failed, resulting in a burnt offering.
• The student's lack of preparation caused him to fail the final exam.
• Without sufficient funding, many small businesses fail within the first year.
• The old car's engine started to fail after years of heavy use.

Synonyms

• Go Wrong
• Miscarry

Antonyms

• Succeed

Hyponyms

• Louse Up
• Fumble
• Ball Up
• Bodge
• Screw Up
• Muff
• Blow
• Mishandle
• Bollocks Up
• Fluff
• Bollix
• Foul Up
• Fall Flat
• Flop
• Bollix Up
• Founder
• Spoil
• Botch Up
• Bollocks
• Muck Up
• Mess Up
• Bobble
• Bungle
• Flub
• Fuck Up
• Bumble

Related Words

• Failure (noun)

Meaning ¹⁰

Judge unacceptable; "The teacher failed six students".

Classification

Verbs of political and social activities and events.

Examples

• The school administration failed three students who didn't meet the minimum attendance requirements.
• In the end, the committee failed several applicants who didn't possess the required qualifications.
• The instructor failed many students who didn't submit their assignments on time.
• Due to poor performance, the coach failed to promote all but two of the players to the next level.
• The academic board failed any student who scored below 40 percent on the exam.

Antonyms

• Pass

Hypernyms

• Judge
• Pass Judgment

Related Words

• Failing (noun)

Meaning ¹¹

Become bankrupt or insolvent; fail financially and close; "The toy company went bankrupt after the competition hired cheap Mexican labor"; "A number of banks failed that year".

Classification

Verbs of buying, selling, owning.

Related Words

• Failure (noun)