plural noun
Unsuccessful attempts or results in which a person or group does not reach a goal.
He has learned from his failures in business.
The team treated its early failures as lessons.
American English
How to pronounce failures
nounB1Common word
FAYLyerz
/ˈfeɪl.jɚz/
2 syllables · Stress the first syllable.
Form of failure
Unsuccessful attempts or results in which a person or group does not reach a goal.
Practice out loudMeanings & examples
plural noun
Problems in which machines, systems, or equipment stop working correctly.
The report lists three failures in the cooling system.
Several power failures interrupted the hospital's operations.
plural noun
Instances of not doing something that should be done, especially under a formal rule or agreement.
The contract lists penalties for failures to meet safety standards.
Repeated failures to follow the rules led to fines.