fail
verb (used without object)
to fall short of success or achievement in something expected, attempted, desired, or approved.
had been failing
-
past perfect progressiveof fail.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
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.
Prosecutors announced their probe of the film in July 2025, weeks after Barron’s published an investigation that found RAD had been failing to deliver returns that it promised to investors.
From Barron's ● Mar. 3, 2026
When HBC bought Saks, department stores had been failing for decades.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 14, 2026
The latest update suggested, however, that other Apple items had been failing to capture the customer's imagination more recently.
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2023
Ms. Dingell, who won election to his seat after he announced his retirement in 2014, said this week that she was at home with Mr. Dingell, whose health had been failing.
From New York Times ● Feb. 8, 2019
Three hundred years, the mulefa had said: that was how long the trees had been failing.
From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman
