fail

v.

1. To be unsuccessful

   miscarry, fall short, miss, slip, lose, make nothing of, come to naught, come to nothing, falter, flounder, blunder, break down, break, run aground, founder, misfire, come to grief, get into trouble, lose ground, abort, neglect, backslide, not pass, be demoted, lose status, come down, fall flat, fall through, go amiss, go astray, fall down, get left, be found lacking, be found wanting, be deficient, be inadequate, go down, go under, lose one's labor, hit a slump, miss an opportunity, not measure up, not measure up to expectation, not pass muster, lose out, give out, not have it in one, be all over with, come short of, break one's word, not make the grade, not make it, miss the mark, lose control, fall from one's high estate, go wrong, flop*, bomb*, flunk*, fall down on the job*, miss the boat*, bite the dust*, blow the chance*, fizzle out*, go belly up*, hit rock bottom*, crap out*, go down the tubes*, go down swinging*, end in smoke*, go up in smoke*, not get to first base*, touch bottom*, lay an egg*, draw a blank*, not come off*, come a cropper*, not cut the mustard*, conk out*, peter out*, flunk out*, strike out*, wash out*, fold up*, go on the rocks*, die on the vine*, go over like a lead balloon*.

   Antonyms succeed, win*, triumph. *

2. To disappoint

   let down, desert, leave, displease; see abandon 2, disappoint.

3. To grow less

   decline, lessen, worsen, sink; see decay.

4. To become insolvent

   go bankrupt, default, be in arrears, overdraw, go out of business, go into receivership, go under, default on payment, dishonor, repudiate, be ruined, collapse, go broke*, fold*, go to the wall*, throw in the sponge*, be unable to make ends meet*, drown in red ink*, crash*, go belly up*, go down the tubes*, lose one's shirt*, go on the rocks*, bust*. *

   Antonyms prosper*, gain*, thrive. *

5. To dismiss for failure

   send home, dismiss, suspend, put on probation, flunk*, send down*.

without fail