fails

noun

A failure, especially of a financial transaction (a termination of an action).

A failing grade in an academic examination.

(slang, US) A failure (something incapable of success).

(uncountable, slang) Poor quality; substandard workmanship.

A piece of turf cut from grassland.

A surname.

verb

(intransitive) To be unsuccessful.

(transitive) Not to achieve a particular stated goal. (Usage note: The direct object of this word is usually an infinitive.)

(transitive) To neglect.

(intransitive) Of a machine, etc.: to cease to operate correctly.

(transitive) To be wanting to, to be insufficient for, to disappoint, to desert; to disappoint one's expectations.

(ambitransitive) To receive one or more non-passing grades in academic pursuits.

(transitive) To give a student a non-passing grade in an academic endeavour.

To be wanting; to fall short; to be or become deficient in any measure or degree up to total absence.

To become unable to meet one's engagements; especially, to be unable to pay one's debts or discharge one's business obligation; to become bankrupt or insolvent.

(transitive, obsolete) To miss attaining; to lose.

(archaic) To be affected with want; to come short; to lack; to be deficient or unprovided; used with of.

(archaic) To fall away; to become diminished; to decline; to decay; to sink.

(archaic) To deteriorate in respect to vigour, activity, resources, etc.; to become weaker.

(obsolete) To perish; to die; used of a person.

(obsolete) To err in judgment; to be mistaken.

adjective

(slang, US) Unsuccessful; inadequate; unacceptable in some way.

Roots

fallerefail- · Latin · deceive, fail

Synonyms & related words for fails

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Words related to fails

Explore words related to fails — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include flunk, failed, failing, failure, miscarry, neglect, nonsuccess, succeeds. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Where does fails come from?

The word fails breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root fail-, from Latin fallere (“deceive, fail”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.