Clues for the word "FAIL"

We've had 105 crossword clues used for this word, and seen it 221 times in crosswords. It was last seen in New York Times crossword on June 11, 2026.

Definition of fail

v. i. - To be wanting; to fall short; to be or become deficient in any measure or degree up to total absence; to cease to be furnished in the usual or expected manner, or to be altogether cut off from supply; to be lacking; as, streams fail; crops fail.
v. i. - To be affected with want; to come short; to lack; to be deficient or unprovided; -- used with of.
v. i. - To fall away; to become diminished; to decline; to decay; to sink.
v. i. - To deteriorate in respect to vigor, activity, resources, etc.; to become weaker; as, a sick man fails.
v. i. - To perish; to die; -- used of a person.
v. i. - To be found wanting with respect to an action or a duty to be performed, a result to be secured, etc.; to miss; not to fulfill expectation.
v. i. - To come short of a result or object aimed at or desired ; to be baffled or frusrated.
v. i. - To err in judgment; to be mistaken.
v. i. - To become unable to meet one's engagements; especially, to be unable to pay one's debts or discharge one's business obligation; to become bankrupt or insolvent.
v. t. - To be wanting to ; to be insufficient for; to disappoint; to desert.
v. t. - To miss of attaining; to lose.
v. i. - Miscarriage; failure; deficiency; fault; -- mostly superseded by failure or failing, except in the phrase without fail.
v. i. - Death; decease.