fail-safe

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Those recorded cues act as a fail-safe against technical malfunctions during the broadcast, though the orchestra aims to play everything live.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

The boats had rejected their inputs and automatically idled as a fail-safe, making them “dead” in the water.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 27, 2025

There’s no 100% safe way to lift 500 pounds, just like there is no fail-safe way of throwing 100 mph.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 20, 2025

The NFL’s fail-safe against the worst excesses of institutional money is ego.

From Slate • Dec. 12, 2024

Whenever those thoughts spring up, my sister is the fail-safe.

From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman