fail
verb
Key Types & categories Parts & wholes Related & opposite
- Word type
- noun
- verb
- adjective
- adverb
- Line style
- core relation
- instance, member or derived
- substance, domain or see-also
- Direction
- arrow points to the broader concept
- dashed outline: no word in this language
- Click any word to expand it.
Senses
Sense 1 verb
fail to do something; leave something undone
She failed to notice that her child was no longer in his crib
Types & categories
- lose track hyponym
- strike out hyponym
- default hyponym
- choke hyponym
- muff hyponym
- miss hyponym
Related & opposite
- failure derivation
- neglectfulness derivation
Sense 2 verb
be unsuccessful
Where do today's public schools fail?
Types & categories
- take it on the chin hyponym
- miss hyponym
- overreach hyponym
- bobble hyponym
- strike out hyponym
- fall hyponym
- shipwreck hyponym
- founder hyponym
Related & opposite
- bring home the bacon antonym
- failure derivation
- failure derivation
- miscarriage derivation
- nonstarter derivation
- failure derivation
Sense 3 verb
disappoint, prove undependable to; abandon, forsake
His sense of smell failed him this time
Types & categories
- disappoint hypernym
Sense 4 verb
stop operating or functioning
The engine finally went
Types & categories
- change hypernym
- go down hyponym
- blow out hyponym
- misfire hyponym
- malfunction hyponym
Related & opposite
- equipment failure derivation
- failure derivation
- breakable derivation
- break verb group
- die verb group
Sense 5 verb
be unable
I fail to understand your motives
Related & opposite
- carry off antonym
Sense 6 verb
judge unacceptable
The teacher failed six students
Types & categories
- pass judgment hypernym
Related & opposite
Sense 7 verb
fail to get a passing grade
She studied hard but failed nevertheless
Related & opposite
Sense 8 verb
fall short in what is expected
She failed in her obligations as a good daughter-in-law
Related & opposite
Sense 9 verb
become bankrupt or insolvent; fail financially and close
The toy company went bankrupt after the competition hired cheap Mexican labor
Related & opposite
- bankruptcy derivation
Sense 10 verb
prove insufficient
The water supply for the town failed after a long drought
Sense 11 verb
get worse
Her health is declining
Types & categories
- decline hypernym
Table view of this graph
| Sense | Relation | Group | Word |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | derivation | Related & opposite | failure |
| 1 | derivation | Related & opposite | neglectfulness |
| 1 | hyponym | Types & categories | lose track |
| 1 | hyponym | Types & categories | strike out |
| 1 | hyponym | Types & categories | default |
| 1 | hyponym | Types & categories | choke |
| 1 | hyponym | Types & categories | muff |
| 1 | hyponym | Types & categories | miss |
| 2 | antonym | Related & opposite | bring home the bacon |
| 2 | derivation | Related & opposite | failure |
| 2 | derivation | Related & opposite | failure |
| 2 | derivation | Related & opposite | miscarriage |
| 2 | derivation | Related & opposite | nonstarter |
| 2 | derivation | Related & opposite | failure |
| 2 | hyponym | Types & categories | take it on the chin |
| 2 | hyponym | Types & categories | miss |
| 2 | hyponym | Types & categories | overreach |
| 2 | hyponym | Types & categories | bobble |
| 2 | hyponym | Types & categories | strike out |
| 2 | hyponym | Types & categories | fall |
| 2 | hyponym | Types & categories | shipwreck |
| 2 | hyponym | Types & categories | founder |
| 3 | hypernym | Types & categories | disappoint |
| 4 | derivation | Related & opposite | equipment failure |
| 4 | derivation | Related & opposite | failure |
| 4 | derivation | Related & opposite | breakable |
| 4 | verb group | Related & opposite | break |
| 4 | verb group | Related & opposite | die |
| 4 | hypernym | Types & categories | change |
| 4 | hyponym | Types & categories | go down |
| 4 | hyponym | Types & categories | blow out |
| 4 | hyponym | Types & categories | misfire |
| 4 | hyponym | Types & categories | malfunction |
| 5 | antonym | Related & opposite | carry off |
| 6 | antonym | Related & opposite | pass |
| 6 | derivation | Related & opposite | flunk |
| 6 | verb group | Related & opposite | flunk |
| 6 | hypernym | Types & categories | pass judgment |
| 7 | antonym | Related & opposite | make it |
| 7 | derivation | Related & opposite | flunk |
| 7 | derivation | Related & opposite | bomb |
| 7 | verb group | Related & opposite | fail |
| 7 | verb group | Related & opposite | fail |
| 8 | derivation | Related & opposite | failure |
| 8 | derivation | Related & opposite | failing |
| 8 | verb group | Related & opposite | flunk |
| 9 | derivation | Related & opposite | bankruptcy |
| 11 | hypernym | Types & categories | decline |