fails

present tense third-person singular of fail
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
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
5

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fails For example, when a robot fails to pick an overweight item many times, a person on site can be notified to manually handle the item. Jeff Mahler, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024 From the solar eclipse, supermoons, and now a temporary second moon orbiting the Earth, the sky's paintbrush never fails to bring awe to our eyes. Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 4 Oct. 2024 If the measure fails, the county would discontinue the tax starting in 2026. The Arizona Republic, 3 Oct. 2024 If the initiative fails, the county would cease to collect the tax in 2026. Sam Kmack, The Arizona Republic, 3 Oct. 2024 Many would say to just call Mama when all else fails, but if that’s not an option, see if this hand-me-down advice can help get you back on track—one sanity-saving load at a time. Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 3 Oct. 2024 This often results in outdated, infrequent or generic content that fails to engage prospective students effectively. Tom Noh, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024 Central planning of a market phenomenon always fails. John Tamny, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fails
Verb
  • For example, what happens if a witch dies midtrial?
    Ashley Lee, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2024
  • Cut back plants in fall, or earlier if the plant dies back from heat, to reduce leaf miner populations.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 3 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • And then at some point, the house collapses.
    Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 17 Oct. 2024
  • Sleep apnea is a condition that causes a sleeper’s breathing to pause when the muscles of the throat relax too much and the airway collapses.
    Brenda Goodman, CNN, 17 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • This detachment not only affects how individuals respond to disasters but also weakens the overall collective response.
    Lars Daniel, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
  • A student can attempt the course without the pressure of immediate feedback or the potential to fall behind, which weakens the signal of their willingness to take on challenges.
    Ray Ravaglia, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • The rally in equity could be derailed if the central government’s fiscal stimulus package misses expectations, according to Macquarie Capital’s Hsiao.
    Anniek Bao,Sonia Heng, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2024
  • Morrison misses his late partner’s gigantic belly laugh that would engulf everything in its orbit.
    Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • As far as the mechanics of the x-ray specs project goes, what the pair of hackers have confirmed is that all five technologies used are new but readily available.
    Davey Winder, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
  • As the story goes, Elvis Presley and his new bride Priscilla had originally planned on getting married in what was known then as the House of Tomorrow in the spring of 1967.
    Kelly Dawson, Architectural Digest, 4 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • The police video shows the officers milling about and talking as Nichols struggles with his injuries.
    Adrian Sainz, TIME, 4 Oct. 2024
  • While her family struggles financially to keep their takeaway van afloat, a young Vietnamese girl takes up a summer job on a strawberry farm.
    Dominic Patten, Deadline, 4 Oct. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near fails

Cite this Entry

“Fails.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fails. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on fails

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!