failed
Americanadjective
Etymology
Origin of failed
First recorded in 1650–60; fail ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. )
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.
Not to be outdone, Ohtani led off the fifth inning with a single, but the Dodgers failed to score.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
Two men and two women who competed for Uganda at the Games failed to turn up for their scheduled flights home and have since turned off their mobile phones.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
Lillie has also alleged that JPMorgan failed to identify and flag tens of thousands of suspicious accounts for potential closure, a potential violation of anti-money-laundering rules.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
The government injected billions into banks, insurance giant AIG and the automobile industry to prevent the collapse of individual companies that would have jeopardized the economy and the financial system writ large if they failed.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
She had failed, and she would never see the children again.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
