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failure
/ˈfeɪ.ljər/
lack of success
The project ended in failure due to poor planning.
The project did not succeed because of inadequate preparation.
general
the state or condition of not meeting a desired outcome or expectation
His failure to pass the exam disappointed his parents.
He did not pass the exam, which made his parents unhappy.
The system failure caused a temporary shutdown.
The system stopped working properly, leading to a temporary shutdown.
Can refer to a lack of success in a task, system, or personal endeavor.
Collocations
failure tonot doing something that was expected or requiredsystem failurea malfunction in a machine or computer systemfailure ratethe percentage of times something does not work as intended
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Common Usage
Failure is often used to describe a lack of success in a specific task or goal.
Gold Rule
Context Matters
The meaning of 'failure' can vary depending on the context, such as personal, technical, or systemic.
Word Origin
From Middle English 'failen' (to be lacking), from Old French 'faillir' (to fail), from Latin 'fallere' (to deceive).
Usage Notes
Often used in formal and technical contexts, but also common in everyday language.
Word Breakdown
fail
to not succeed
root-ure
a state or condition
suffixEnglish Dictionary