name
Meaning 1
A surname.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
failing
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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US: /ˈfeɪ.lɪŋ/
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US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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rhymes with -eɪlɪŋ
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CMU ARPABET: F EY1 L IH0 NG Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
noun
Meaning 2
weakness; defect
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- His worst failing is his temper.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: trouble, shortcoming
Antonyms: none provided
prep
Meaning 3
If what follows is not possible; without.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- A large proportion of the females employed in other firms are said to have signified their intention of going on strike, failing a settlement.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 4
present participle and gerund of fail
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: form-of, gerund, participle, present
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adjective satellite
Meaning 5
below acceptable in performance
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- received failing grades
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 6
failure to reach a minimum required performance
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- his failing the course led to his disqualification
- he got two flunks on his report
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: flunk
Antonyms: passing
Broader terms: failure
noun
Meaning 7
a flaw or weak point
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- he was quick to point out his wife's failings
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: weakness
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: imperfection, imperfectness
Narrower terms: insufficiency, inadequacy, fatigue, flaw
History
Etymology
No etymology was provided for this word.
Across languages
Translations
28 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Bulgarian: недостатък (nedostatǎk) — defect
- Bulgarian: грешка (greška) — defect
- German: Schwäche — defect
- German: Mangel — defect
- German: Fehler — defect
- German: Unzulänglichkeit — defect
- German: Defizit — defect
- Irish: laige — defect
- Romanian: defect — defect
- Spanish: falta — defect
- Spanish: defecto — defect
- Spanish: lacra — defect
- Swedish: fel — defect
- Swedish: brist — defect
- Swedish: svaghet — defect
- Arabic: فِي حَال عَدَم حُدُوث (fī ḥāl ʕadam ḥudūṯ) — if not possible
- Arabic: مادام ما حصلش (madam ma ḥaṣalš) — if not possible
- Bulgarian: ако не (ako ne) — if not possible
- Bulgarian: в отсъствие на (v otsǎstvie na) — if not possible
- German: mangels — if not possible
- German: in Ermangelung — if not possible
- German: ohne — if not possible
- Kyrgyz: кемчилик (kemcilik) — if not possible
- Kyrgyz: кемчилдик (kemcildik) — if not possible
- Kyrgyz: жетишпестик (jetişpestik) — if not possible
- Kyrgyz: аздык (azdık) — if not possible
- Kyrgyz: ката (kata) — if not possible
- Spanish: a falta de — if not possible
Real reading context