failures

NOUN

lack of success

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bankruptcy breakdown collapse decline defeat deficiency deterioration failing loss misstep

STRONG

abortion bomb botch bungle bust checkmate decay deficit downfall fiasco flop frustration implosion inadequacy lemon loser mess misadventure miscarriage nonperformance overthrow rout rupture stalemate stoppage turkey washout wreck

WEAK

false step faux pas flash in the pan lead balloon nonsuccess sinking ship total loss

Antonyms

STRONGEST

betterment improvement increase rise success win

STRONG

accomplishment benefit blessing continuation enough plenty triumph

WEAK

achievement achiever attainment earnings gain merit

NOUN

person who does not succeed

Synonyms

STRONGEST

disappointment

STRONG

also-ran bankrupt beat bum castaway deadbeat defaulter derelict dud flop good-for-nothing has-been incompetent insolvent loafer loser might-have-been moocher nobody prodigal turkey underachiever washout

WEAK

born loser lumpy no-good nonperformer

Antonyms

STRONG

hard worker success

WEAK

accomplishment achievement achiever attainment earnings gain merit win

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.

See Examples For:

failures

A broader sweep is yet to come, with officials in June proposing tariffs of between 10 percent and 12.5 percent targeting 60 trading partners over alleged failures to act against forced labor.

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026

“Now as survivors fight to rebuild, they should not be asked to bear the cost of protecting the corporations whose failures devastated their community.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

Unfazed by past failures, Zhu stepped down from his CEO role at GigaDevice in 2018 to become the CEO of CXMT, reportedly pledging to take no salary until the company was profitable.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 18, 2026

After a series of equipment failures last year, the FAA shored up the feed with better bandwidth and redundancy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

The atmosphere of non-thinking had been a godsend when it allowed me to forget my own failures as a teenager.

From "Bad Boy" by Walter Dean Myers