failure — English Dictionary

Noun

1. State or condition of not meeting a desirable or intended objective, opposite of success.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   More examples (3)

   For Liverpool, their season will now be regarded as a relative disappointment after failure to add the FA Cup to the Carling Cup and not mounting a challenge to reach the Champions League places.

   Sarkozy's total will be seen as a personal failure. It is the first time an outgoing president has failed to win a first-round vote in the past 50 years and makes it harder for Sarkozy to regain momentum.

   What exactly is a "successful failure" in rocket science? A so-called "successful failure" is one where important lessons can be gleaned for future tests and where the risks of harm are low, experts say.

2. State or condition of not meeting a desirable or intended objective, opposite of success. A condition in which a specified organ does not function well enough to support life.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   heart failure

   congestive heart failure

   More examples (2)

   liver failure

   kidney failure

3. Omission to do something, whether or not it was attempted, especially something that ought to have been done.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

4. An object, person or endeavour in a state of failure, has failed at something or incapable of success.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

5. Termination of the ability of an item to perform its required function; breakdown.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   More examples (2)

   Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic […]. Until 2008 there was denial over what finance had become. When a series of bank failures made this impossible, there was widespread anger, leading to the public humiliation of symbolic figures.

   But as with individual train failures you have to tackle every one as it arises and assume it will happen again, which it will, if you don't do something about it.

6. Bankruptcy.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

Noun

1. an act that fails

   Broader terms

   nonaccomplishmentnonachievement

   Examples

   his failure to pass the test

2. an event that does not accomplish its intended purpose

   Antonyms

   success

   Broader terms

   happeningoccurrenceoccurrentnatural event

   Examples

   the surprise party was a complete failure

3. lack of success

   Antonyms

   success

   Broader terms

   fortunedestinyfatelucklotcircumstancesportion

   Examples

   he felt that his entire life had been a failure

   that year there was a crop failure

4. a person with a record of failing; someone who loses consistently

   Synonyms

   losernonstarterunsuccessful person

   Broader terms

   unfortunateunfortunate person

5. an unexpected omission

   Broader terms

   omissionskip

   Examples

   he resented my failure to return his call

   the mechanic's failure to check the brakes

6. inability to discharge all your debts as they come due

   Synonyms

   bankruptcy

   Broader terms

   insolvency

   Examples

   the company had to declare bankruptcy

   fraudulent loans led to the failure of many banks

7. loss of ability to function normally

   Broader terms

   disorderupset

   Examples

   kidney failure