Phrase guide

failure to thrive

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

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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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Poor physical growth or level of weight, relative to one's age peers.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

Topics: medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Abnormal weight loss, malaise.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

Qualifier: chiefly geriatrics

Topics: medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see failure, thrive.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • French: retard de croissance — pediatrics
  • German: Gedeihstörung — pediatrics
  • Serbo-Croatian: zastoj u rastu i razvoju — pediatrics
  • German: Gedeihstörung — adult medicine
  • Serbo-Croatian: izostanak očekivanoga normalnog fiziološkog razvoja — adult medicine
  • Serbo-Croatian: kopnjenje — adult medicine
  • Serbo-Croatian: nazadovanje — adult medicine
  • Serbo-Croatian: opća iznemoglost — adult medicine