Phrase guide

structural failure

noun · 1 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Loss of the load-carrying capacity of a component or member within a structure or of the structure itself. Structural failure is initiated when the material in a structure is stressed to its strength limit, thus causing fracture or excessive deformations.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

Examples

  • Three buildings in the World Trade Center Complex collapsed due to structural failure on the day of the attack.
  • Structural failure will occur in three minutes, 30 seconds.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From structure and failure.