failure
Did not succeed
Failure is the lack of success or the state of not achieving a desired outcome: The experiment ended in failure.
A failure is also a person or thing that fails: He felt like a failure.
The word extends to mechanical or systemic breakdowns: heart failure, power failure, crop failure.
Failure can be partial or complete, temporary or permanent.
Failure to appear in legal contexts means not showing up as required.
Sudden, complete failure
- disasterSudden ruinous event
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
- blunderFoolish, costly mistake
- messDisorderly, troublesome condition
shambles · farce · travesty · botch · screwup · flop · bust · dud
Failure to satisfy expectations
- frustrationDispleasure from blocked efforts
- regretSorrow over past actions
- dissatisfactionState of being displeased
- disillusionmentBitter loss of faith
anticlimax · unfulfilled · dashed hopes · falling short · underwhelming · mediocrity · underperformance · missed opportunity
Failure or decomposition
- crashSudden violent impact
- implosionViolent collapse inward
- disintegrationProcess of breaking apart
- crumblingBreaking down gradually
meltdown · deterioration · systemic · cascade · domino effect · unraveling · freefall · nosedive
Fault in communication
- mistakeWrong action or decision
- lapseBrief failure or expiration
- omissionFailure to include
- neglectFailure to provide care
carelessness · slip · blunder · gaffe · misstep · miscalculation · misjudgment · oversight
Being without something
- routOverwhelming one-sided victory
- vanquishedDefeated completely
- surrenderCease resistance, yield
- overthrowForcible removal from power
conquest · crushing · thrashing · drubbing · trounce · beaten · upset · shutout
Inability to pay debts
- liquidationSelling assets for cash
- debtsSums owed to others
- creditorsThose owed payment
- foreclosureLender seizes mortgaged property
receivership · restructuring · bailout · write-off · underwater · broke · bust · ruin
Something blocking the way
- hindranceBarrier to progress
- delayEnforced waiting period
- snagUnforeseen complication
- hiccupSpasmodic breath intake
complication · stumbling block · roadblock · hurdle · bump · holdup · reversal · regression
Intense sorrow from loss
- bereavementState following loss
- mourningPeriod following loss
- heartacheDeep emotional distress
- sorrowDeep emotional distress
void · absence · gone · departed · irretrievable · irreplaceable · devastating · profound
debacle
Sudden, complete failure
- disasterSudden ruinous event
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
- blunderFoolish, costly mistake
mess · shambles · farce · travesty · botch · screwup · flop · bust · dud · bomb
letdown
Failure to satisfy expectations
- frustrationDispleasure from blocked efforts
- regretSorrow over past actions
- dissatisfactionState of being displeased
disillusionment · anticlimax · unfulfilled · dashed hopes · falling short · underwhelming · mediocrity · underperformance · missed opportunity · could have been
breakdown
Failure or decomposition
- crashSudden violent impact
- implosionViolent collapse inward
- disintegrationProcess of breaking apart
crumbling · meltdown · deterioration · systemic · cascade · domino effect · unraveling · freefall · nosedive · plunge
error
Fault in communication
neglect · carelessness · slip · blunder · gaffe · misstep · miscalculation · misjudgment · oversight · inattention
loss
Being without something
- routOverwhelming one-sided victory
- vanquishedDefeated completely
- surrenderCease resistance, yield
overthrow · conquest · crushing · thrashing · drubbing · trounce · beaten · upset · shutout · underdog
insolvency
Inability to pay debts
- liquidationSelling assets for cash
- debtsSums owed to others
- creditorsThose owed payment
foreclosure · receivership · restructuring · bailout · write-off · underwater · broke · bust · ruin · financial
obstacle
Something blocking the way
hiccup · complication · stumbling block · roadblock · hurdle · bump · holdup · reversal · regression · relapse
grief
Intense sorrow from loss
- bereavementState following loss
- mourningPeriod following loss
- heartacheDeep emotional distress
sorrow · void · absence · gone · departed · irretrievable · irreplaceable · devastating · profound · coping
- experiencesadventure, journey, moment, event, feeling
- errorserror, mistake, blunder, blunders, fault
- adversitystruggle, hardship, challenge, obstacle, difficulty
- binary statesyes, no, true, on, off
- box officebox office, gross, worldwide gross, opening weekend, ticket sales
- business troublesbankruptcy, crisis, insolvency, layoffs, losses
failuresuccess
Favorable outcome attained
achievement · accomplishment · triumph · victory · win
failurehit
Successful contact or strike
success · blockbuster · smash · smash hit · bestseller
- heart failureInadequate blood pumping condition
- power failureLoss of electrical service
- engine failureLoss of motor function
- grid failureElectrical network collapse
- system failureComplete breakdown of operations
- mechanical failureEquipment stops working properly