Meaning
To be unsuccessful.
Etymology
Origin: Middle English
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *(s)gʷʰh₂el-der. Proto-Italic *falsō? Classical Latin fallere Vulgar Latin *fallīre Old French falirbor. Middle English failen English fail Inherited from Middle English failen, borrowed from Old French falir, from Vulgar Latin *fallire, alteration of Latin fallere (“to deceive, disappoint”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰāl- (“to lie, deceive”) or Proto-Indo-European *(s)gʷʰh₂el- (“to stumble”). Compare Alemannic German fääle (“to lack”), Cimbrian béelan, véelan (“to fail”), veln (“to be absent, missing”), Dutch falen, feilen (“to fail, miss”), German fallieren, fehlen (“to fail, miss, lack”), Danish fejle (“to fail, err”), Swedish fallera (“to fail, break, malfunction”), Spanish fallar (“to fail, miss”).
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
Antonyms
NYT Puzzle Appearances
Accepted in 26 recorded puzzles:
- 2026-09-08IACEFLT
- 2026-09-02FAILNPT
- 2026-07-21FABILNY
- 2026-04-16FANIGLT
- 2026-04-05ACTIFLY
- 2026-01-20AFTLINY
- 2026-01-04FARLIMY
- 2025-11-26IALEBFX
- 2025-10-23ABCFILK
- 2025-07-24LANFBIY
- 2025-05-18FUANIGL
- 2025-01-21FPANIGL
+14 earlier appearances in the archive.