failures

noun

plural of failure
1
as in defeats
a falling short of one's goals the failure of the school's fund-raising drive was a big disappointment to all

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2
as in disasters
something that has failed the students' first attempt to build a homemade rocket was a disappointing failure

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3
as in shortages
a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number the failure of the potato crop had a devastating effect on the population of Ireland

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4
as in bankruptcies
the inability to pay one's debts years of prolonged economic depression, when business failures were common

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of failures The installation at the military’s oldest active test base would help shield critical defense operations from wider grid failures. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026 The familiar scent of grilling merguez wafted through the air as Violette began to enumerate the system’s failures. — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2026 Elena asks both parents for accountability over the failures of her childhood. — Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2026 An Army review found systemic failures behind last year’s collision of an American Airlines jet and Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, which killed 67 people. — Josh Funk, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026 For Weinberg, learning from those failures requires putting ego aside and taking an honest look at what went wrong—and what worked. — Preston Fore, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026 Indeed, Trump has a unique, almost superhuman ability to bury bad news until supporters and detractors alike are no longer talking about issues and failures that would sink virtually any other politician. — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 7 Oct. 2026 The disclosure could deepen scrutiny of the security failures surrounding the flight after officials revealed the Omani co-pilot had previously been barred from flying in his home country over concerns about his extremist views. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 4 Oct. 2026 There's the systematic failures that happened in Cornell are happening in other campuses as well. — ABC News, 4 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for failures
  1. defeats
  2. disasters
  3. shortages
  4. bankruptcies
  5. collapses
  6. disappointments
  7. lacks
  8. setbacks
Noun
  • Then only one team had a worse record than their 102 defeats in 2025.
    — Don Riddell, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Meanwhile, Merz's power inside Germany has taken a blow after a string of state election defeats last month, including losses to the anti-migration and Russia-friendly Alternative for Germany party.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of defeats
Noun
  • Coffee spills, muddy shoes, pet mishaps, and everyday messes don’t have to turn into decorating disasters.
    — Ethan Stone October 9, Idaho Statesman, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Rosatom says this inherent design prevents severe disasters, removing any need to evacuate local communities during an accident.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of disasters
Noun
  • The aircraft carrier spent more than 260 consecutive days at sea without a port call, with reports of supply shortages, broken plumbing and eight suicide attempts among its crew.
    — Anna Tingley, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Yet teachers and students continue to complain about basic shortages.
    — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of shortages
Noun
  • Labor market shifts The US trucking industry is shaking off a nearly four-year downturn, a post-pandemic correction marked by tumbling freight rates, carrier bankruptcies, and a high-cost/tepid-volume operating environment.
    — Natasha Chen, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The industrial revolutions of the past produced enormous value alongside bankruptcies, dislocations, and periods of irrational exuberance.
    — Brian Solis, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of bankruptcies
Noun
  • If drugstore brands follow prestige lines into oil-in-serum formulations, the two-step routine collapses into one.
    — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Last year, the Giants were losing those one-score games and having their fans in a whirlwind of emotions with late-game collapses.
    — Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of collapses
Noun
  • The legislative session also brought some disappointments for some community groups, such as Newsom’s decision to veto SB 954.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • This director who’s had three disappointments in a row is the person to invest in?
    — Chris Lee, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of disappointments
Noun
  • Tasked with shepherding his major stars through bombastic performances, Fern’s directing lacks focus.
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 14 Sep. 2026
  • While Verse and Alex Wright will man the edges and Denzel Ward remains an elite anchor in the secondary, the front seven lacks proven game-disrupting star power, leaving the defense reliant on scheme and discipline to hold up.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of lacks
Noun
  • As the cystic fibrosis community gathers this week in Atlanta for its largest annual gathering, Kramer-Golinkoff is hoping those patients will be a big part of the conversation, particularly after recent scientific setbacks.
    — Gerry Smith, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Even major battlefield setbacks may not push the group towards compromise if its leadership believes any concessions should be part of a broader regional bargain.
    — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of setbacks

Browse Nearby Words

failure
failures
fain
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Cite this Entry

“Failures.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/failures. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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