View synonyms for failure

failure

[ feyl-yer ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

an act or instance of failing fail or proving unsuccessful; lack of success:
His effort ended in failure.
The campaign was a failure.
nonperformance of something due, required, or expected:
a failure to do what one has promised;
a failure to appear.
a subnormal quantity or quality; an insufficiency:
the failure of crops.
deterioration or decay, especially of vigor, strength, etc.:
The failure of her health made retirement necessary.
a condition of being bankrupt by reason of insolvency.
a becoming insolvent or bankrupt:
the failure of a bank.
a person or thing that proves unsuccessful:
He is a failure in his career.
The cake is a failure.

failure

/ ˈfeɪljə /

noun

the act or an instance of failing
a person or thing that is unsuccessful or disappointing
the evening was a failure
nonperformance of something required or expected
failure to attend will be punished
cessation of normal operation; breakdown
a power failure
an insufficiency or shortage
a crop failure
a decline or loss, as in health or strength
the fact of not reaching the required standard in an examination, test, course, etc
the act or process of becoming bankrupt or the state of being bankrupt

Discover More

Other Words From

non·failure noun

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of failure¹

First recorded in 1635–45; fail + -ure; replacing failer “a fault, default,” from Anglo-French (noun use of infinitive), for Old French faillir

Related Words

Browse