fail

Meaning

Verb

1. To be unsuccessful.
2. Not to achieve a particular stated goal. (Usage note: The direct object of this word is usually an infinitive.)
3. To neglect.
4. Of a machine, etc.: to cease to operate correctly.
5. To be wanting to, to be insufficient for, to disappoint, to desert; to disappoint one's expectations.
6. To receive one or more non-passing grades in academic pursuits.
7. To give a student a non-passing grade in an academic endeavour.
8. (obsolete) To miss attaining; to lose.
9. To be wanting; to fall short; to be or become deficient in any measure or degree up to total absence.
10. To be affected with want; to come short; to lack; to be deficient or unprovided; used with of.
11. To fall away; to become diminished; to decline; to decay; to sink.
12. To deteriorate in respect to vigour, activity, resources, etc.; to become weaker.
13. (obsolete) To perish; to die; used of a person.
14. (obsolete) To err in judgment; to be mistaken.
15. To become unable to meet one's engagements; especially, to be unable to pay one's debts or discharge one's business obligation; to become bankrupt or insolvent.

Noun

1. A failure, especially of a financial transaction (a termination of an action).
2. A failing grade in an academic examination.
3. (slang) A failure (something incapable of success).
4. (slang) Poor quality; substandard workmanship.

Adj

Unsuccessful; inadequate; unacceptable in some way.

Noun

A piece of turf cut from grassland.

Concepts

fail

lose

miscarry

collapse

neglect

fall through

unsuccessful

miss

flunk

abort

go bankrupt

blunder

break down

fall

failure

defeated

err

make a mistake

go wrong

unable

founder

flop

decline

break

betray

be unsuccessful

crash

die

give out

give way

abandon

desert

leave

come to nothing

come to naught

fumble

fold

go down

defeat

decay

wane

weaken

bomb

flush it

lack

omit

be defeated

forsake

overlook

mess up

bungle

crack

cave in

decompose

deteriorate

droop

faint

conk out

go

go bad

run out

disappoint

pluck

fizzle

plough

die away

slip

fall down

ebb

pretermit

malfunction

not succeed

fall short

lacking

beaten

lost

stopped

make an error

mistake

wrong

be frustrated

give up

quit

relinquish

renounce

retire

surrender

without fail

despise

disdain

dislike

disparage

infringe

profane

scorn

violate

zanedbávat

commit a sin

deviate

leave someone in the lurch

bungled

be badly made

be ruined

stuff up

screw the pooch

come to failure

return with empty hands

fizzle out

be on the decline

be unfortunate

downgrade

go downhill

become insolvent

go broke

miss an opportunity

disaster

recession

decrease

diminish

dwindle

fade away

worsen

perish

languish

unsuccess

incapable

fall flat

fold up

go bust

shut down

disobey

misbehave

misdo

misfire

be destroyed

fall to the ground

sink down

give away

be wanting

be otherwise

prove fruitless

come to nought

come short

become bankrupt

want

default

mucker

pip

slide

prove futile

be thwarted

backslide

fall short of

drop

let alone

fragile

incompetent

cast

disallow

discard

overrule

refuse

reject

scout

shed

turn down

drop through

emboss

overreach oneself

wash up

deduct

rebate

cut out

elide

leave out

miss out

omission

pass over

skip

go under

bankrupt

abatement

discontinuance

hanging-up

holes

intermission

intermittence

interrupt

interruption

middle break

off

intermit

breaking-down

breakdown

broken

damage

destroy

destruction

destructive

excision

shatter

upset

wreck

be overcome

be unable

deficient

come to grief

wanting

missed

finished

ruined

flag

cease

desist

refrain

be complete

come to an end

finish

fulfill

loose

strike out

fade

fall away

retrograde

taper off

come apart

fall apart

beat

cheat

cheat on

cozen

deceive

double cross

go back on

hornswoggle

let down

sell

sell out

short

two-time

check

conk

draw up

halt

pause

pull over

pull up

stagnate

stall

stop

stop over

haul up

falter

go astray

be tired

abandoned

failing

lack of success

rejectee

deny

lie

unravel

inadequate

low

not enough

poor

unfit

below mark

unfaithful

be beaten

sit down

deficiency

deficit

loss

glance off

slip out

clay

daub

earth

mire

mud

soil

reverse

not

unable to do

Pronounced as (IPA)

/feɪl/

Etymology

From Middle English failen, borrowed from Anglo-Norman faillir, from Vulgar Latin *fallire, alteration of Latin fallere (“to deceive, disappoint”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰāl- (“to lie, deceive”) or Proto-Indo-European *sgʷʰh₂el- (“to stumble”).
Compare Dutch feilen, falen (“to fail, miss”), German fehlen (“to fail, miss, lack”), Danish fejle (“to fail, err”), Swedish fela (“to fail, be wanting, do wrong”), Icelandic feila (“to fail”), Spanish fallar (“to fail, miss”).