failure
Lack of success
When something does not work or does not give the result you want.
[someone's/something's] failure to [do something]
- The project was a complete failure despite months of hard work.
- His failure to meet the deadline caused delays for the whole team.
- She learned a lot from her first business failure.
- The mission ended in failure due to bad weather.
- Failure is a normal part of the learning process.
- The test was a failure.
- His plan was a failure.
- We learned from our failure.
- The trip was a failure because it rained.
Breakdown or malfunction
When a machine or system stops working.
[machine/system] failure
- The plane had to land because of engine failure.
- A sudden power failure left the whole city in darkness.
- The crash was caused by a brake failure.
- They are investigating the system failure that caused the outage.
- The car stopped because of engine failure.
- We had a power failure last night.
- The computer had a system failure.
Unsuccessful person
A person who is not successful in life or in something they try to do.
[someone] is a failure at [something]
- After losing his job, he felt like a total failure.
- She was unfairly labeled a failure by her parents.
- He is not a failure; he just needs more time to succeed.
- I feel like a failure today.
- He is not a failure.
- She thinks she is a failure at sports.
Organ malfunction
When an organ or body part stops working normally.
- He was diagnosed with heart failure last year.
- Kidney failure can be life-threatening without treatment.
- The patient died from respiratory failure.
- She has heart failure.
- Kidney failure is dangerous.
- He died from lung failure.
- Base: failure
- Plural: failure, failures
if at first you don't succeed, try, try again
1Encourage persistence after failing once or more times
Keep trying until you succeed, even if you fail at first.
- Don't give up—if at first you don't succeed, try, try again.
- She remembered the saying: if at first you don't succeed, try, try again.
set up for failure
1Put someone in position to fail from start
To make it likely that someone will fail by giving them problems from the start.
- Giving him no training set him up for failure.
- They set themselves up for failure by ignoring the warnings.
epic fail
1Very big and obvious failure
A very big and embarrassing mistake or failure.
- Spilling coffee on my boss was an epic fail.
- The presentation was an epic fail from start to finish.
epic fail
2very big and obvious failure
A complete and very obvious failure, often in a way that looks silly or embarrassing.
- My attempt to bake a cake was an epic fail when it collapsed in the oven.
- The app launch was an epic fail, crashing for almost every user on the first day.
- He called the speech an epic fail after forgetting half of his notes.
epic fail
3Very big embarrassing mistake or defeat
A very big and embarrassing mistake or lack of success.
- Forgetting my lines on stage was an epic fail.
- That presentation was an epic fail.
trial and error
1Learning by trying and failing
A way to solve problems by trying different things and learning from mistakes until you find what works.
- Learning to cook often involves trial and error.
- We learned to fix the engine through trial and error.
- We found the best design through trial and error.
- Cooking well often comes from trial and error.
trial and error
2Problem-solving by repeated attempts
Trying many times and learning from mistakes until you find the right way.
- We learned how to fix the machine through trial and error.
- Cooking without a recipe is often trial and error.
without fail
1Always happens without exception
Always happens, every time, without exceptions.
- He calls his mother every Sunday without fail.
- The train arrives at 8:30 without fail.
without fail
2Happens every single time
Always happens; no exceptions.
- She calls me every Sunday without fail.
- The bus arrives at 8:00 without fail.
without fail
3always; every single time
Always happens or is done, no matter what.
- She calls me every Sunday without fail.
- The bus arrives at 8 a.m. without fail.