English dictionary
fail
verbAudio pronunciation
Parts of speech
Definitions
verb
- deteriorate
verb
- stop operating or functioning
verb
- prove insufficient
verb
- disappoint, prove undependable to; abandon, forsake
verb
- become bankrupt or insolvent; fail financially and close
verb
- fall short in what is expected
verb
- fail to get a passing grade
verb
- judge unacceptable
verb
- be unsuccessful
verb
- fail to do something; leave something undone
verb
- be unable
Example sentences
Her health is declining
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
The water supply for the town failed after a long drought
His sense of smell failed him this time
His strength finally failed him
His children failed him in the crisis
The toy company went bankrupt after the competition hired cheap Mexican labor
A number of banks failed that year
She failed in her obligations as a good daughter-in-law
We must not fail his obligation to the victims of the Holocaust
She studied hard but failed nevertheless
Did I fail the test?
The teacher failed six students
Where do today's public schools fail?
The attempt to rescue the hostages failed miserably
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
I fail to understand your motives