fail-safe
Automatic damage prevention
Fail-safe describes a system designed to default to a safe condition if something goes wrong.
A fail-safe mechanism prevents catastrophic failure by shutting down or reverting to a harmless state: The reactor has multiple fail-safe systems.
As a noun, it's the mechanism itself or a backup plan: We need a fail-safe in case the primary system crashes.
The word sometimes loosely means foolproof, though technically fail-safe doesn't prevent failure—it makes failure safe.
Worthy of trust
- robustStrong and durable
- stableSecure and unchanging
- secureProtected from harm
- provenEstablished as fact
consistent · resilient · unfailing · steadfast · foolproof · bulletproof · ironclad · airtight
Stored duplicate for recovery
- contingencyUncertain possible event
- fallbackAlternative if primary fails
- insuranceContractual risk coverage
- redundancyNeedless duplication
failover · preventive · protective · buffer · reserve · worst-case · belt-and-suspenders
Needless duplication
- interlockJoin by overlapping
- circuit-breakerAutomatic current interrupter
- shutdownCessation of operations
- tripPlanned travel somewhere
lockout · sensor · alarm · valve · cutoff · override · fuse · relay
Needless duplication
- interlocksJoins by fitting together
- automationSelf-operating system design
- stabilityResistance to displacement
- protectionGuarding against harm
dependable
Worthy of trust
proven · consistent · resilient · unfailing · steadfast · foolproof · bulletproof · ironclad · airtight · watertight
backup
Stored duplicate for recovery
- contingencyUncertain possible event
- fallbackAlternative if primary fails
- insuranceContractual risk coverage
redundancy · failover · preventive · protective · buffer · reserve · worst-case · belt-and-suspenders
redundancy
Needless duplication
- interlockJoin by overlapping
- circuit-breakerAutomatic current interrupter
- shutdownCessation of operations
trip · lockout · sensor · alarm · valve · cutoff · override · fuse · relay · governor
redundancy
Needless duplication
- interlocksJoins by fitting together
- automationSelf-operating system design
- stabilityResistance to displacement
- engineeringengineers, civil engineering, engineering, electrical engineering, blueprint
- safety labelsdangerous, hazardous, toxic, flammable, caution
- safety systemsparachute, airbag, airbags, ejection seat, brakes
- dependabilityreliable, dependable, trustworthy, trusted, steadfast
- Nuclearnuclear reactor, atomic bomb, nuclear energy, atomic bombs, uranium
- engineering solutionsbridge design, dam construction, filtration system, drainage system, ventilation
fail-safeunreliable
Not consistently performing
fallible · unpredictable · uncertain · questionable · doubtful