Failing — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun preposition adjective verb /ˈfā-liŋ/ fail·ing

Meaning & Definition of Failing

Failing (noun)

  1. a usually slight or insignificant defect in character, conduct, or ability

Failing (preposition)

  1. in absence or default of

Failing (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a defect in character

    "we could talk about your failings, but it would take all night"

    similar: demerit, dereliction, fault, foible, frailty, shortcoming, sin, vice, want, weakness, feet of clay
    related: blot, spot, stain, blemish, deficiency, flaw, imperfection, minus, nit, Achilles' heel, soft spot, corruption, depravity, evil, immorality, sinfulness, wickedness
    opposite: merit, virtue
    near: excellence, perfection, goodness, integrity, morality, probity, rectitude, righteousness

Failing (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in dying, declining

    similar: decaying, declining, dying, waning, overrefined, precious, debilitated, enervate, enervated, enfeebled, feeble, frail, languid, sapped, soft, wasted, weak, weakened, wimpy, decadent, decayed, degenerate, effete, overripe, washed-up, dissolute, immoral, debased, debauched, degraded, demoralized, depraved, dissipated

Failing (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to stop functioning

    "my car failed just as I was about to head to work"

    similar: breaking, breaking down, conking (out), crashing, cutting out, dying, giving out, stalling
    related: fizzling, sputtering, wheezing, acting up, malfunctioning, jamming
    opposite: starting (up)

  2. to be unsuccessful

    "despite all the publicity, the movie failed miserably at the box office"

    similar: bombing, collapsing, cratering, flaming out, flopping, flunking, folding, foundering, missing, striking out, tanking, washing out, coming a cropper, coming to grief, coming up empty, dying on the vine, falling flat, falling on one's face, falling short, laying an egg
    related: floundering, struggling, declining, sinking, skidding, slipping, slumping, waning, crashing, crumbling, miscarrying, misfiring, going under, imploding, self-destructing
    opposite: clicking, coming off, delivering, going, going over, panning out, succeeding, working out
    near: cooking, flourishing, prospering, thriving, prevailing, triumphing, winning

  3. to fall short in satisfying the expectation or hope of

    "although the minor-league franchise continues to fail local fans, hope springs eternal"

    similar: cheating, disappointing, dissatisfying, letting down
    related: bumming (out), chagrining, discontenting, disgruntling, displeasing, distressing, upsetting, disenchanting, disillusioning, deceiving, deluding, mocking
    opposite: contenting, gratifying, satisfying
    near: fulfilling, gladdening

  4. to lose bodily strength or vigor

    "ever since she reached the age of 90, Grandma has been noticeably failing"

    similar: decaying, drooping, emaciating, fading, flagging, going, lagging, languishing, sagging, sinking, wasting (away), weakening, wilting, withering
    related: breaking down, wearing out, yielding, degenerating, deteriorating, rotting, running down
    near: convalescing, rallying, rebounding, recovering, recuperating, gaining

  5. to miss the opportunity or obligation

    "failed to mention that he was looking for new job"

    similar: forgetting, neglecting, omitting, missing out on
    related: disregarding, ignoring, overlooking, overpassing, passing over, pretermitting, slighting, sliding, slipping, defaulting, skipping
    near: heeding, minding, remembering, keeping, observing, carrying out, doing, executing, performing, practicing, discharging, fulfilling, meeting, satisfying, complying (with)

Related Entry: Fail (verb)

Fail is a different word from Failing. The synonyms below are for fail, not for failing.

  1. to stop functioning

    "my car failed just as I was about to head to work"

    similar: break, break down, conk (out), crash, cut out, die, give out, stall
    related: fizzle, sputter, wheeze, act up, malfunction, jam
    opposite: start (up)

  2. to be unsuccessful

    "despite all the publicity, the movie failed miserably at the box office"

    similar: bomb, collapse, crater, flame out, flop, flunk, fold, founder, miss, strike out, tank, wash out, come a cropper, come to grief, come up empty, die on the vine, fall flat, fall on one's face, fall short, lay an egg
    related: flounder, struggle, decline, sink, skid, slip, slump, wane, crash, crumble, miscarry, misfire, go under, implode, self-destruct
    opposite: click, come off, deliver, go, go over, pan out, succeed, work out
    near: cook, flourish, prosper, thrive, prevail, triumph, win

  3. to fall short in satisfying the expectation or hope of

    "although the minor-league franchise continues to fail local fans, hope springs eternal"

    similar: cheat, disappoint, dissatisfy, let down
    related: bum (out), chagrin, discontent, disgruntle, displease, distress, upset, disenchant, disillusion, deceive, delude, mock
    opposite: content, gratify, satisfy
    near: fulfill, gladden

  4. to lose bodily strength or vigor

    "ever since she reached the age of 90, Grandma has been noticeably failing"

    similar: decay, droop, emaciate, fade, flag, go, lag, languish, sag, sink, waste (away), weaken, wilt, wither
    related: break down, wear out, yield, degenerate, deteriorate, rot, run down
    near: convalesce, rally, rebound, recover, recuperate, gain

  5. to miss the opportunity or obligation

    "failed to mention that he was looking for new job"

    similar: forget, neglect, omit, miss out on
    related: disregard, ignore, overlook, overpass, pass over, pretermit, slight, slide, slip, default, skip
    near: heed, mind, remember, keep, observe, carry out, do, execute, perform, practice, discharge, fulfill, meet, satisfy, comply (with)

Related Entry: Failing (at) (verb)

Failing (at) is a different word from Failing. The synonyms below are for failing (at), not for failing.

  1. as in losing, missing

    similar: falling short (of), missing, losing
    opposite: achieving, attaining, bagging, chalking up, clocking (up) (chiefly British), gaining, hitting, logging, making, notching (up), racking up, ringing up, scoring, winning, acquiring, capturing, carrying, drawing, garnering, getting, landing, obtaining, procuring, realizing, securing, amounting (to), approaching, equaling, matching, measuring up (to), meeting, rivaling, touching, tying

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Failing

The most common words with a similar meaning to Failing:

demerit, dereliction, fault, foible, frailty, shortcoming, sin, vice, want, weakness, feet of clay, decaying, declining, dying, waning, overrefined, precious, debilitated, enervate, enervated, enfeebled, feeble, frail, languid, sapped, soft, wasted, weak, weakened, wimpy, decadent, decayed, degenerate, effete, overripe, washed-up, dissolute, immoral, debased, debauched

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Failing

Words with the opposite meaning of Failing:

merit, virtue, starting (up), clicking, coming off, delivering, going, going over, panning out, succeeding, working out, contenting, gratifying, satisfying

Related Words for Failing

blot, spot, stain, blemish, deficiency, flaw, imperfection, minus, nit, Achilles' heel, soft spot, corruption, depravity, evil, immorality, sinfulness, wickedness, fizzling, sputtering, wheezing, acting up, malfunctioning, jamming, floundering, struggling, skidding, slipping, slumping, crumbling, miscarrying

Near Antonyms of Failing

excellence, perfection, goodness, integrity, morality, probity, rectitude, righteousness, cooking, flourishing, prospering, thriving, prevailing, triumphing, winning, fulfilling, gladdening, convalescing, rallying, rebounding, recovering, recuperating, gaining, heeding, minding, remembering, keeping, observing, carrying out, doing

Origin & Etymology of Failing

First known use: 1590

Words & Phrases Containing Failing

failing grade/mark, failing that

Frequently Asked Questions about Failing

What does "Failing" mean?

"Failing" means a usually slight or insignificant defect in character, conduct, or ability. As an a noun, a preposition, an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: a usually slight or insignificant defect in character, conduct, or ability. It has 7 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Failing"?

Other words for "Failing" include demerit, dereliction, fault, foible, frailty, shortcoming, sin and vice. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Failing" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Failing"?

There are 154 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Failing". Common alternatives include demerit, dereliction, fault, foible, frailty, shortcoming, sin, vice, want and weakness.

What is the opposite of "Failing"?

Antonyms of "Failing" include merit, virtue, starting (up), clicking, coming off, delivering, going and going over. Near antonyms include excellence, perfection, goodness and integrity.

How do you use "Failing" in a sentence?

Examples of "Failing" in a sentence: "we could talk about your failings, but it would take all night"; "my car failed just as I was about to head to work"; "despite all the publicity, the movie failed miserably at the box office".

Is "Failing" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Failing" can be used as a noun, a preposition, an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Failing"?

"Failing" is pronounced /ˈfā-liŋ/ and divided into syllables as fail·ing.

What is the origin of the word "Failing"?

First known use: 1590.