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 suit alleges that several key components of hospital protocol were ignored or improperly followed and that those failures directly contributed to the actor’s death. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Aug. 2026 The failures of England’s previous generations were multi-faceted, but how much did the national culture feed into the acceptance of their behaviour? — Mark Carey, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026 By the time those signs appear, the business may already be relying on a few people to fix the same failures over and over before customers or senior leaders ever see them. — Brian Eason, Fortune, 9 Aug. 2026 South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned any acts of violence against migrants but also conceded to government failures around enforcing immigration laws. — ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026 Across the measured period, 69 percent of stockout losses fell on the top 10 percent of brands, and most brands experienced repeat failures. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 7 Aug. 2026 Most failures are administrative, and most people fix them when asked politely. — George Kapernaros, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 Starting immediately after the arraignment, our motions repeatedly proved that the administration was to blame for the Reflecting Pool failures, not Davey. — Arkansas Online, 2 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for failures
  1. defeats
  2. disasters
  3. shortages
  4. bankruptcies
  5. collapses
  6. disappointments
  7. lacks
  8. setbacks
Noun
  • Louisville has won two of its last three after five straight defeats and beat Orlando 3-2 at Lynn Family Stadium in April.
    — Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC played key roles in both defeats.
    — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of defeats
Noun
  • Next week, for the first time ever, Taiwan will deliberately slow its mobile internet speed, testing how citizens would communicate if bandwidth becomes scarce in emergencies ranging ⁠from disasters to a Chinese invasion.
    — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Some of Europe’s biggest insurance companies told CNBC this week that the region isn’t adequately prepared to deal with the risks of wildfires and weather disasters, leaving a substantial share of financial damage uninsured.
    — Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of disasters
Noun
  • Wong said the permanent closure was a result of rising food costs, inflation, labor shortages and the economy in general.
    — Daily News, Daily News, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Leaders of the nonprofit hospital in Alabama’s capital blamed its collapse on financial pressures, including mounting debt, staffing shortages and Alabama’s refusal to expand Medicaid that would cover more of the state’s uninsured.
    — Riley Bunch, AJC.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of shortages
Noun
  • Mining companies contributed more than $23 billion to the fund, according to NMA, but bankruptcies and underinsurance shift some of the burden to taxpayers.
    — Howard Berkes, NPR, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The site became available on the heels of two bankruptcies and the ultimate implosion of Rite-Aid, which ceased operations in October 2025 after closing all of its remaining physical stores.
    — George Avalos, Mercury News, 31 July 2026
Definition of bankruptcies
Noun
  • Many survivors have chosen to sleep outside to avoid the risk of further collapses, and some are seeking shelter in places like stadiums.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 11 Aug. 2026
  • When a massive star collapses and explodes, neutrinos escape from its interior and can reach Earth before the burst of light becomes visible.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of collapses
Noun
  • While retrograde, however, Saturn puts a magnifying glass on everything from past goals to the fears and disappointments that could have influenced your decisions.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Mercury retrograde The Phoenix Mercury are one of the biggest disappointments of the season.
    — Annie Costabile, New York Times, 28 July 2026
Definition of disappointments
Noun
  • Long used in commercial kitchens for sinks and countertops, steel sinks contain chromium that provides corrosion-resistance and nickel that adds the brightness pure steel lacks.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 19 July 2026
  • The Anaheim Ducks, at least, had a lot of pace and tempo to help make up for what Carlson’s skating lacks at this point in his career.
    — Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of lacks
Noun
  • But the party has recently suffered setbacks, losing a string of special elections, including one in June that brought now- Prime Minister Andy Burnham to power.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Outline measures to reduce impacts on neighboring property owners and communities, including noise mitigation, light controls, setbacks, traffic improvements, emergency response coordination and other community protection measures.
    — Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of setbacks

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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 13 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of failures for Spanish Speakers

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