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

failure to launchphrase
a situation where someone cannot move forward in life or career
failure is not an optionphrase
a determination to succeed despite obstacles

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
suffix
English Dictionary