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 Cooling failures alone make up roughly a quarter of all after-hours service calls. — Sharon Wu, USA Today, 4 July 2026 Despite our many problems and failures, America remained something one could still celebrate in an imperfect world. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 3 July 2026 The Illinois Department of Transportation warned drivers to be mindful of pavement failures, saying surfaces could buckle in the extreme heat. — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 3 July 2026 The northwestern states of Aragua, Carabobo and Falcón have also been affected, with some areas reporting power failures, Rodríguez said. — Helen Regan, CNN Money, 25 June 2026 According to Castillo, one of the most significant failures has been the tendency to treat many squatter complaints as civil disputes rather than criminal investigations. — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026 Spence also appears to be absorbing the blame for broader failures, with Thomas Tuchel’s touchline frustrations obvious and — for a player still establishing himself at this level — that scrutiny is unlikely to help. — Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 4 July 2026 America's ability to attract Roughly two decades ago, the debate over America's decline drew a lot of attention after the traumas and failures of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and the 2008 financial crisis. — Robert Hormats, Time, 4 July 2026 Officials caution that not everyone reported missing is necessarily trapped beneath the rubble because communications failures, mass displacement and transportation disruptions have complicated efforts to reunite families. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 4 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for failures
  1. defeats
  2. disasters
  3. shortages
  4. bankruptcies
  5. collapses
  6. disappointments
  7. lacks
  8. setbacks
Noun
  • Between 2012 and 2017, Nadal suffered seven shock defeats at Grand Slams before the quarterfinals.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 2 July 2026
  • At one point in the 1980s, a local news article reported that the district attorney’s office had suffered nine trial defeats in a row.
    — Joaquin Sapien, ProPublica, 30 June 2026
Definition of defeats
Noun
  • Cheap financial capital has flooded into the industry, lowering the cost of protecting against disasters, but Bäte thinks the trend cannot continue forever.
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 3 July 2026
  • City leaders recognize the difficulty for families and communities dealing with vacant disasters.
    — Bryant Reed, CBS News, 2 July 2026
Definition of disasters
Noun
  • Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Europe’s defense industry remains fragmented and constrained by supply chains, bureaucracy, labor shortages and years of underinvestment.
    — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 6 July 2026
  • Citing Cuban government figures, the United Nations reported that around 100,000 patients are waiting for surgeries on the island due to the electricity cuts and shortages of medical supplies and drugs.
    — Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 6 July 2026
Definition of shortages
Noun
  • Avoid these common travel insurance errors to protect your vacation from flight delays, airline bankruptcies and extreme heat.
    — Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Other recent studies have linked the legalization of online sports gambling to an increase in bankruptcies, debt and credit card delinquencies, as well as a decrease in credit scores and savings.
    — Suzy Khimm, NBC news, 26 June 2026
Definition of bankruptcies
Noun
  • Building collapses are common in Pakistan, where construction standards are often poorly enforced.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 1 July 2026
  • First responders handled two rescues in 24 hours after workers were trapped in separate construction trench collapses in Oakland County, Michigan.
    — Paula Wethington, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Definition of collapses
Noun
  • The Braves are finally good again after a series of disappointments.
    — Tim Britton, New York Times, 1 July 2026
  • Engagement is nonnegotiable; the only real choice is whether to pair cash with deep understanding or keep deploying context-blind models and relive the same disappointments.
    — Amer Al Ahbabi, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Definition of disappointments
Noun
  • In terms of athletic forwards with size, this is a body type that the Spurs’ roster lacks in numbers.
    — John Hollinger, New York Times, 25 June 2026
  • Nothing beats a big package or a pipe to compensate for decorations, makeup, and other lacks.
    — Joyce Mansour, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026
Definition of lacks
Noun
  • The fair has already seen a series of setbacks that include cancellations from artists on the lineup, sparse crowds, electricity issues and even melted ice cream.
    — Mike Stunson, USA Today, 30 June 2026
  • But for many of the organization’s other pitching prospects in recent seasons, injury setbacks have been especially difficult to overcome.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Definition of setbacks

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Cite this Entry

“Failures.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/failures. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of failures for Spanish Speakers

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