fail in

/feɪl ɪn/
phrasal verbIntermediate not succeed at somethingphrasal verb
general

To not succeed or achieve a goal or task

He failed in his efforts to start a business.

He did not succeed in starting a business.

The team failed in their mission to rescue the hostages.

The team did not succeed in rescuing the hostages.

💡

This phrasal verb is commonly used to describe a lack of success in a specific endeavor or task.

Collocations

fail in an attemptnot succeed in trying to do somethingfail in a tasknot complete or succeed in a taskfail in an effortnot achieve the desired result in an effort

Related Phrases

succeed inphrasal verb
to achieve a goal or task
fall shortphrase
to not meet expectations or standards

💡Pro Tip

Usage Tip

Use 'fail in' when you want to emphasize the specific area or task where someone did not succeed.

Gold Rule

Correct Usage

Always use 'fail in' with a specific noun or gerund to indicate the context of the failure.

📖Word Origin

The verb 'fail' comes from Middle English 'faillen,' meaning 'to be lacking.' The preposition 'in' is used to specify the context or area where the failure occurs.

📝Usage Notes

This phrasal verb is often used in formal and informal contexts to describe a lack of success in a specific area or task. It is commonly used in business, education, and personal development contexts.

Word Breakdown

fail
to not succeed
root
+
in
specifies the context or area of failure
preposition
English Dictionary