Another Word for Failure: 18 Synonyms with Examples
Failure means not succeeding, not doing something you should, or a machine or system stopping working. Swap it to soften the tone or to be specific about what went wrong.
As a noun: lack of success
- defeat
- collapse
- breakdown
- fiasco
- disaster
- flop
- setback
- loss
As a noun: not doing something required
- neglect
- omission
- negligence
- dereliction
- lapse
As a noun: a machine or system stopping
- breakdown
- malfunction
- fault
- crash
- outage
- stoppage
Need a different word?Look up any word in the synonym finder →
How they differ
Synonyms share a meaning, not always a tone. Here is when to pick each of the main options.
- defeat
- Losing a contest or battle.
- setback
- A temporary failure that delays progress; softer.
- fiasco
- A complete and often embarrassing failure.
- flop
- Informal; a film, show or product that fails.
- neglect
- Failure to care for or do something properly.
- malfunction
- A technical failure of a machine or part.
Example sentences
- defeat: The party suffered a heavy defeat at the election.
- setback: The injury was a setback, but she was back running within a month.
- fiasco: The launch party turned into a fiasco when the power failed.
- flop: Despite the big budget, the film was a flop.
- neglect: Years of neglect had left the garden overgrown.
- malfunction: A malfunction in the signals delayed every train.
Opposite of failure
- success
- achievement
- triumph
More from WordNet
Less common or more specialised words WordNet lists for other senses of “failure”. Check the meaning before you use one.
noun: loser
WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Used under the WordNet licence.
Frequently asked questions
What is another word for “failure”?
The most useful alternatives are “defeat”, “collapse”, “breakdown”, “fiasco”, “disaster”. For the main sense (lack of success), “defeat” is usually the closest swap.
What is the difference between “defeat” and “setback”?
defeat: Losing a contest or battle. setback: A temporary failure that delays progress; softer.
What is the opposite of “failure”?
Common antonyms are “success”, “achievement”, “triumph”.