: a usually slight or insignificant defect in character, conduct, or ability
: in absence or default of
failing specific instructions, use your own judgment
Synonyms
Examples of failing in a Sentence
Noun
He has some minor failings.
we could talk about your failings, but it would take all night
Preposition
Failing progress in the peace process, war seems likely.
Recent Examples on the Web
Ames Alexander, Charlotte Observer, 16 Apr. 2024
Miller is a staunch free marketeer who believes that the exorbitant resale prices simply reflect how much consumers are willing to pay for them and not a failing in his platform.
—Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 15 Apr. 2024
But as someone steeped in history, who has witnessed politicians up close and cataloged courage and human failings in a way few have, Kennerly’s observations are worth noting.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Society still assigns moral failings to disabled people, including cancer patients, and my whiteness protected me from the worst of this.
—Maria Yagoda, Vogue, 25 Mar. 2024
Putin claimed Ukraine’s involvement in preparing an escape route for the suspects before they were captured, an accusation Kyiv has vehemently denied and said was being used to distract from his own security failings and raise support for intensifying his military campaign.
—Yuliya Talmazan, NBC News, 25 Mar. 2024
Intentionally or not, keeping international attention fixed on southern Gaza draws attention away from the catastrophic situation unfolding in northern Gaza, where Palestinians face mass starvation, and where breakdowns in order display the failings (or features) of Israel’s war strategy.
—Mairav Zonszein, TIME, 4 Apr. 2024
The labyrinthine plot is where the series is at its weakest, though that’s more a hallmark of the genre than any failing of this particular show.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 28 Mar. 2024
His reunion with Albert, now working largely in kids’ TV, seems largely an excuse to haughtily compare their achievements; Albert retaliates by listing the failings of Blake’s personal life, an estranged son among them.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 25 Mar. 2024
Noun
Among other safety failings, inspectors found the exits of the seven-story wooden building weren’t arranged to provide an easy way out for the workers who were trapped inside the building when the fire broke out.
—Ames Alexander, Charlotte Observer, 16 Apr. 2024
Miller is a staunch free marketeer who believes that the exorbitant resale prices simply reflect how much consumers are willing to pay for them and not a failing in his platform.
—Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 15 Apr. 2024
But as someone steeped in history, who has witnessed politicians up close and cataloged courage and human failings in a way few have, Kennerly’s observations are worth noting.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Society still assigns moral failings to disabled people, including cancer patients, and my whiteness protected me from the worst of this.
—Maria Yagoda, Vogue, 25 Mar. 2024
Putin claimed Ukraine’s involvement in preparing an escape route for the suspects before they were captured, an accusation Kyiv has vehemently denied and said was being used to distract from his own security failings and raise support for intensifying his military campaign.
—Yuliya Talmazan, NBC News, 25 Mar. 2024
Intentionally or not, keeping international attention fixed on southern Gaza draws attention away from the catastrophic situation unfolding in northern Gaza, where Palestinians face mass starvation, and where breakdowns in order display the failings (or features) of Israel’s war strategy.
—Mairav Zonszein, TIME, 4 Apr. 2024
The labyrinthine plot is where the series is at its weakest, though that’s more a hallmark of the genre than any failing of this particular show.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 28 Mar. 2024
His reunion with Albert, now working largely in kids’ TV, seems largely an excuse to haughtily compare their achievements; Albert retaliates by listing the failings of Blake’s personal life, an estranged son among them.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 25 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'failing.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near failing
Cite this Entry
“Failing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/failing. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
failing
1 of 2 noun
fail·ing
ˈfā-liŋ 
failing
2 of 2 preposition
: in the absence or lack of
failing specific instructions, use your own judgment
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