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

Even if you plan to be fully engaged with managing money into retirement, a financial adviser could be a fail-safe if you can no longer make sound decisions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 5, 2025

“Within moments, the robot came to a full stop in response to sensing a pedestrian in close proximity, which is considered its fail-safe state.”

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 25, 2025

The penalty for entering a fail-safe command “with insufficient reason” was prison, fines, but Margery thought the legal system didn’t go far enough.

From Slate • Jan. 27, 2024

Encoding provided a measure of security but was not fail-safe.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau