third-person singular verb
Does not succeed in doing or getting something wanted or planned.
She fails to understand the complex math problem.
Without practice, he fails to improve his skills.
American English
How to pronounce fails
verbB1Very common word
FAYLZ
/feɪlz/
One syllable.
Form of fail
Does not succeed in doing or getting something wanted or planned.
Practice out loudMeanings & examples
third-person singular verb
Gets a result below the level needed to pass a test, class, or exam.
She fails the driving test again.
He fails his math class this semester.
third-person singular verb
Stops working correctly or stops working at all.
The backup generator fails during every power cut.
The printer fails to start after the update.
Useful expressions
Every time; without exception.
She calls her mother every Sunday without fail.
Designed to become safe if something stops working or goes wrong.
The door has a fail-safe lock.