fail

VERB /feɪl/
4 LETTERS · 1 SYLLABLE · STARTS WITH F

fail is a valid 4-letter word worth 7 points in Scrabble and 8 points in Words with Friends.

SCRABBLE WORDS WITH FRIENDS
F4A1I1L1
4 + 1 + 1 + 1 =7 PTS
DOUBLE WORD → 14TRIPLE WORD → 21
MEANING

What does fail mean?

VERB · 9 SENSES
1

Disappoint, prove undependable to; abandon, forsake.

“His sense of smell failed him this time”

“His strength finally failed him”

SYNONYMS
2

Be unsuccessful.

“Where do today's public schools fail?”

“The attempt to rescue the hostages failed miserably”

ANTONYMS
RELATED
3

Fail to do something; leave something undone.

“She failed to notice that her child was no longer in his crib”

“The secretary failed to call the customer and the company lost the account”

SYNONYMS
RELATED
4

Stop operating or functioning.

“The engine failed on the way to town”

BROADER
RELATED
5

Prove insufficient.

“The water supply for the town failed after a long drought”

6

Fail to get a passing grade.

“She studied hard but failed nevertheless”

“Did I fail the test?”

ANTONYMS
RELATED
7

Fall short in what is expected.

“She failed in her obligations as a good daughter-in-law”

“We must not fail his obligation to the victims of the Holocaust”

8

Get worse.

9

Judge unacceptable.

“The teacher failed six students”

ANTONYMS
RELATED
OTHER · 2 SENSES
1

Be unable.

“I fail to understand your motives”

ANTONYMS
2

Become bankrupt or insolvent; fail financially and close.

“A number of banks failed that year”

RELATED
AT THE BOARD

Anagrams of fail

SAME TILES, DIFFERENT WORDS

Every anagram above uses exactly the same letters — tap one to see its meaning and score.