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fail in
/feɪl ɪn/◆phrasal verb
not succeed at something
She failed in her attempt to get the promotion.
She did not succeed in getting the promotion.
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
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related Phrases
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
rootin
specifies the context or area of failure
prepositionEnglish Dictionary