fail
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.
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A candidate could win comfortably in a local constituency and still fail to enter parliament if their party had already filled its quota with stronger performances elsewhere.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 2, 2026
Should longer-term rates fail to rise by as much, the spread between what banks earn on loans and pay for funding could narrow, pressuring net interest income.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 2, 2026
Even serious art-lovers might fail to see links among them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
Many, so so many, historical novels seek to tie a contemporary protagonist to a long-ago event or story; so so many fail to make the connections mean anything.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
“As per our agreement,” Mom barked, “anytime you fail to meet your obligations, there will be consequences.”
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
Skeptics may grumble about a bubble, but capital outlay is reckless only if it fails to earn its keep.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
However, Bill fails to quantify what he expects the team to achieve?
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026
He offers never-ending reruns of the same speech, and at this point it fails to entertain, enlighten or move anyone.
From Salon ● Jul. 31, 2026
She said her husband never fails to watch Eala's Wimbledon matches, even if they air in the Philippines late at night.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
He’s dashing and handsome, and he wears a well-tailored suit that fails to hide his muscles.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
The project began after Denmark's 2022 national election, when votes and seats failed to correspond for the first time in 75 years.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 2, 2026
This particular grift may have failed, but in a world built on massive structural inequality, grifters tend to prosper.
From Salon ● Aug. 2, 2026
But they failed to score again after leaving seven runners stranded.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2026
Others were clear cases of wasted capital, such as comedy digital token dogecoin or many of the SPACs that failed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
It was the first time my stomach had been full since the potatoes had failed.
From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff
In 2018, Qualcomm terminated its proposed purchase of Dutch chip maker NXP Semiconductors after failing to obtain clearance from China.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
A state can build all the cool beds it wants; if the formula deciding who gets one keeps failing the people standing in front of it, the beds don’t matter much.
From Slate ● Jul. 31, 2026
His lead lawyer was arrested last month and charged with allegedly failing to report acts of treason.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
The boot camp fosters an environment where students feel comfortable failing, said Saint Juste, 20, who will attend Kennesaw State University in the fall.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026
Our nation’s crops are failing this year, so there is little grain to sell to other nations.
From "The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle" by Dan Gutman
