failed 1 of 2

failed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of fail
1
as in died
to stop functioning my car failed just as I was about to head to work

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
as in disappointed
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

Example 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 failed
Verb
Ice in contact with a moldy chute and a knife in contact with a trash can while being used are two of the reasons an Oakland Park grocery store failed state inspection Tuesday. David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025 And when streaming was in its early stages, companies like Netflix tried—and often failed—to emulate HBO’s success with their own meaty, cerebral dramas. Erik Kain, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025 Sebastian Stan, who won the Best Male Actor in a Musical or Comedy Golden Globe for a A Different Man, also failed to secure a SAG nomination. Tim Lammers, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025 Mayor Brandon Johnson, a former CTU organizer who was elected on the grateful largesse of the union, has fought CPS at every turn but failed in his attempt to banish schools CEO Pedro Martinez. Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2025 Most of the residents who spoke ahead of the council’s vote last month argued that Chan represented the status quo, was overpaid and had failed at his job. Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 8 Jan. 2025 But those attempts have failed, most recently in 2019, and Florida has persisted with its harsh penalties. Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025 The off-duty officer was riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle westbound when the driver of the Accord failed to yield the right-of-way and turned in front of the motorcycle, a DPS spokesperson said in a news release. Amy McDaniel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Jan. 2025 Passing that threshold in one year doesn't mean countries have failed, however. Lauren Sommer, NPR, 24 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for failed
Adjective
  • Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office and Walnut Grove Fire District personnel searched that first night from the air and aboard boats equipped with sonar and powerful magnets to detect the submerged vehicle but were unsuccessful.
    Darrell Smith, Sacramento Bee, 6 Feb. 2025
  • The Celtics held an 11-point lead five minutes into the third quarter when Brown elevated for an unsuccessful dunk attempt on Cleveland’s Georges Niang.
    Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 5 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Some of the key concerns for the Public Works Department include having equipment stored outdoors year-round and that office space, lockers and restrooms at the current site are inadequate to serve existing and future staff, village officials said.
    Linda Girardi, Chicago Tribune, 14 Feb. 2025
  • Facing this foreseeable challenge, most politicians’ responses have been inadequate.
    Veronique De Rugy, Orange County Register, 14 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • One person died and three others were hospitalized following a fire at a residential complex in Bridgeport on Monday.
    Staff report, Hartford Courant, 24 Dec. 2024
  • After a lifetime of making people laugh, Newhart died on July 18 at his home in Los Angeles.
    Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 24 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Yet his regime collapsed within days of the start of a coordinated rebel offensive.
    Hamidreza Azizi, Foreign Affairs, 23 Dec. 2024
  • The 150ft section of the pier that collapsed, which included a restroom, was being worked on after it had been damaged by storms in the past.
    Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Additionally, the latest retail sales data also disappointed, missing Reuters’ forecasts.
    Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 31 Dec. 2024
  • The app was plagued by bugs, and users were disappointed to find that essential features, such as sleep timers and alarms, were missing.
    Sol Rashidi, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • But the militants, while greatly weakened, have repeatedly regrouped, often after Israeli forces withdraw from areas.
    Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2025
  • Those at high-risk for listeria infection are newborns, those who are pregnant, have weakened immune systems, and those aged 65 or older.
    Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 3 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The reason is that Jackson played the part all season long, while Allen meandered through the first two and a half months of 2023 like a zombie who forgot how to play the position.
    Tim Graham, The Athletic, 3 Jan. 2025
  • The former Prince of Wales apparently forgot to tell his first wife, Princess Diana, that the royal family gave each other inexpensive gag gifts at Christmas.
    Rachel Burchfield, People.com, 27 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • And this has quickly gone from one of the most disappointing teams in college hoops to a redemption story, with the Cats gaining confidence by the win.
    CJ Moore, The Athletic, 8 Feb. 2025
  • The Denver Broncos, after winning consecutive Super Bowls in 1997 and 1998, finished with a disappointing 6-10 record in 1999.
    Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 8 Feb. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near failed

Cite this Entry

“Failed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/failed. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.

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