Fail
verb
To not succeed in what you are trying to achieve or are expected to do.
She worked hard, but failed the exam.
Often appears as...
- fail an exam
- fail a test
verb
To not do something that you should do because you forgot or are not able to.
He failed to submit his homework on time.
Often appears as...
- fail to meet
- fail to realize
verb
When a system or machine stops working correctly.
The car failed to start this morning.
Often appears as...
- fail to start
- fail to operate
Usage tips
Technical
verb
To lose strength or health and become weak.
His health failed rapidly after the diagnosis.
Often appears as...
- health fail
- strength fail
Usage tips
Medical
verb
To not support someone or something when they need it.
He failed her at her time of need.
Often appears as...
- fail a friend
- fail a family member
Usage tips
Disapproving
verb
To go bankrupt or become insolvent.
The company failed due to poor financial management.
Often appears as...
- business fail
- company fail
Usage tips
Business
verb
To not succeed in what you are trying to achieve or are expected to do.
She worked hard, but failed the exam.
Often appears as...
- fail an exam
- fail a test
verb
To not do something that you should do because you forgot or are not able to.
He failed to submit his homework on time.
Often appears as...
- fail to meet
- fail to realize
verb
When a system or machine stops working correctly.
The car failed to start this morning.
Often appears as...
- fail to start
- fail to operate
Usage tips
Technical
verb
To lose strength or health and become weak.
His health failed rapidly after the diagnosis.
Often appears as...
- health fail
- strength fail
Usage tips
Medical
verb
To not support someone or something when they need it.
He failed her at her time of need.
Often appears as...
- fail a friend
- fail a family member
Usage tips
Disapproving
verb
To go bankrupt or become insolvent.
The company failed due to poor financial management.
Often appears as...
- business fail
- company fail
Usage tips
Business
Definition 1 of 6
Pro Tip 1/3Effort Implication
Using 'fail' suggests the person tried but did not reach their goal.
Despite studying, he failed the test.
Pro Tip 2/3Result Oriented
'Fail' focuses on the outcome, not the process or effort involved.
She failed to achieve her sales target.
Pro Tip 3/3Common Collocations
Often used with opportunities or tasks one didn't succeed in.
He failed his driving test again.
Pro Tip 1/3Effort Implication
Using 'fail' suggests the person tried but did not reach their goal.
Despite studying, he failed the test.
Pro Tip 2/3Result Oriented
'Fail' focuses on the outcome, not the process or effort involved.
She failed to achieve her sales target.
Pro Tip 3/3Common Collocations
Often used with opportunities or tasks one didn't succeed in.
He failed his driving test again.
Pro Tip 1/3Effort Implication
Using 'fail' suggests the person tried but did not reach their goal.
Despite studying, he failed the test.
Pro Tip 2/3Result Oriented
'Fail' focuses on the outcome, not the process or effort involved.
She failed to achieve her sales target.
Pro Tip 3/3Common Collocations
Often used with opportunities or tasks one didn't succeed in.
He failed his driving test again.
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Video examples
Is there a reproducibilit...
The peer review process can also be strengthened to more efficiently weed out weak papers prior to publication. And we could temper the pressure to find big results by publishing more papers that fail to confirm the original hypothesis, an event that happens far more than current scientific literature suggests.
Video examples
Epic Fails of...
entire life in front of a television set like a lump of meat with a remote control in your hand and you'll never fail at anything so you have to be willing to embrace that to learn clues and have discovery opportunities I mean the whole point of doing science is really failure that's how we learn there
Video examples
Who were the Vestal...
to discover why the flame had failed. Someone came forward and claimed that one of the Vestals was no longer a virgin. That was the beginning of the end. The accused protested her innocence, but it wasn't enough. She was tried and found guilty. That Vestal's death was meant to protect the city,
Video examples
What "Orwellian" really...
not only fails to fully convey Orwell's message, it actually risks doing precisely what he tried to warn against. Orwell was indeed opposed to all forms of tyranny, spending much of his life fighting against anti-democratic forces of both the left-wing and the right.
Video examples
How to create a great...
fail like this brand of toilet paper from sweden finally a few words about alphabet the parent company of google and now one of the world's most valuable companies much has been said and written about the the business strategy but i'll say a few
Video examples
The otherworldly...
on account of the lack of light. Of course, the discovery of deep-sea species proved him wrong. What Forbes failed to take into account is something called marine snow, which sounds much nicer than it is. Marine snow is basically organic matter,
Video examples
Lemon Andersen performs...
who looked at me up and down and said I don't look like I have any experience to be working in this business. And I said to him, "Listen, punk fool, you're a failed actor who became an agent, and you know why you failed as an actor?
Video examples
Sir David Attenborough...
i've been trying to film the argus pheasant forever and every time we failed and so i thought i was going to end my my broadcasting life without ever having filmed the arches pheasant and it's it's
Video examples
The Dirty Side Of...
cold and therefore not alive and probably has been laid by a young penguin couple who are practicing might be their first first ever season of laying an egg and often these fail they'll often
Video examples
Cheetah Takes on...
The sisters are much too young and inexperienced to help. And if the cubs accidentally alert the herd, the hunt will fail.
Video examples
Is there a reproducibilit...
The peer review process can also be strengthened to more efficiently weed out weak papers prior to publication. And we could temper the pressure to find big results by publishing more papers that fail to confirm the original hypothesis, an event that happens far more than current scientific literature suggests.
Video examples
Epic Fails of...
entire life in front of a television set like a lump of meat with a remote control in your hand and you'll never fail at anything so you have to be willing to embrace that to learn clues and have discovery opportunities I mean the whole point of doing science is really failure that's how we learn there
Video examples
Who were the Vestal...
to discover why the flame had failed. Someone came forward and claimed that one of the Vestals was no longer a virgin. That was the beginning of the end. The accused protested her innocence, but it wasn't enough. She was tried and found guilty. That Vestal's death was meant to protect the city,
Video examples
What "Orwellian" really...
not only fails to fully convey Orwell's message, it actually risks doing precisely what he tried to warn against. Orwell was indeed opposed to all forms of tyranny, spending much of his life fighting against anti-democratic forces of both the left-wing and the right.
Video examples
How to create a great...
fail like this brand of toilet paper from sweden finally a few words about alphabet the parent company of google and now one of the world's most valuable companies much has been said and written about the the business strategy but i'll say a few
Video examples
The otherworldly...
on account of the lack of light. Of course, the discovery of deep-sea species proved him wrong. What Forbes failed to take into account is something called marine snow, which sounds much nicer than it is. Marine snow is basically organic matter,
Video examples
Lemon Andersen performs...
who looked at me up and down and said I don't look like I have any experience to be working in this business. And I said to him, "Listen, punk fool, you're a failed actor who became an agent, and you know why you failed as an actor?
Video examples
Sir David Attenborough...
i've been trying to film the argus pheasant forever and every time we failed and so i thought i was going to end my my broadcasting life without ever having filmed the arches pheasant and it's it's
Video examples
The Dirty Side Of...
cold and therefore not alive and probably has been laid by a young penguin couple who are practicing might be their first first ever season of laying an egg and often these fail they'll often
Video examples
Cheetah Takes on...
The sisters are much too young and inexperienced to help. And if the cubs accidentally alert the herd, the hunt will fail.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Joyce Meyer
American Author
We will all fail in life, but nobody has to be a failure. Failing at a thing doesn't make you a failure. You are only a failure when you quit trying.
Quote examples
Alice Walker
American Author
Artists have a responsibility to speak and to act when governments fail, and if we don't do that, we really deserve the world we get.
Quote examples
Donald Rumsfeld
American Politician
The price of being close to the President is delivering bad news. You fail him if you don't tell him the truth. Others won't do it.
Quote examples
Gordon B. Hinckley
American Clergyman
We live in a world of shifting values. The family is falling apart. Parents failing in what they ought to do.
Quote examples
Oprah Winfrey
American Entertainer
Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another steppingstone to greatness.
Quote examples
Taylor Swift
American Singer
I'm always afraid of failing. I have to quiet that fear if I'm going to get up in the morning.
Quote examples
Kobe Bryant
American Basketball Player
If you're afraid to fail, then you're probably going to fail.
Quote examples
Jamie Moyer
American Athlete
Learning how to work and learning how to fail is important.
Quote examples
Michael Jordan
American Basketball Player
I've never been afraid to fail.
Quote examples
Jackie Chan
Chinese Actor
I'm afraid to fail again.
Quote examples
Joyce Meyer
American Author
We will all fail in life, but nobody has to be a failure. Failing at a thing doesn't make you a failure. You are only a failure when you quit trying.
Quote examples
Alice Walker
American Author
Artists have a responsibility to speak and to act when governments fail, and if we don't do that, we really deserve the world we get.
Quote examples
Donald Rumsfeld
American Politician
The price of being close to the President is delivering bad news. You fail him if you don't tell him the truth. Others won't do it.
Quote examples
Gordon B. Hinckley
American Clergyman
We live in a world of shifting values. The family is falling apart. Parents failing in what they ought to do.
Quote examples
Oprah Winfrey
American Entertainer
Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another steppingstone to greatness.
Quote examples
Taylor Swift
American Singer
I'm always afraid of failing. I have to quiet that fear if I'm going to get up in the morning.
Quote examples
Kobe Bryant
American Basketball Player
If you're afraid to fail, then you're probably going to fail.
Quote examples
Jamie Moyer
American Athlete
Learning how to work and learning how to fail is important.
Quote examples
Michael Jordan
American Basketball Player
I've never been afraid to fail.
Quote examples
Jackie Chan
Chinese Actor
I'm afraid to fail again.
Example 1 of 10
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