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fail in French

fail in French is échouer, rater, faillir — fail means to be unsuccessful in achieving something.

fail in French

échouer
verb
(intransitive) To be unsuccessful.
rater
verb
(intransitive) To be unsuccessful.
faillir
verb
(transitive) Not to achieve a particular stated goal. (Usage note: The direct object of this word is usually an infinitive.)
échouer
verb
(transitive) Not to achieve a particular stated goal. (Usage note: The direct object of this word is usually an infinitive.)
rater
verb
(transitive) Not to achieve a particular stated goal. (Usage note: The direct object of this word is usually an infinitive.)
cesser
verb
(transitive) To be wanting to, to be insufficient for, to disappoint, to desert; to disappoint one's expectations.
décevoir
verb
(transitive) To be wanting to, to be insufficient for, to disappoint, to desert; to disappoint one's expectations.
négliger
verb
(transitive) To be wanting to, to be insufficient for, to disappoint, to desert; to disappoint one's expectations.
omettre
verb
(transitive) To be wanting to, to be insufficient for, to disappoint, to desert; to disappoint one's expectations.
oublier
verb
(transitive) To be wanting to, to be insufficient for, to disappoint, to desert; to disappoint one's expectations.
recaler
verb
(transitive) To be wanting to, to be insufficient for, to disappoint, to desert; to disappoint one's expectations.
rater
verb
(ambitransitive) To receive one or more non-passing grades in academic pursuits.
recaler
verb
(transitive) To give a student a non-passing grade in an academic endeavour.
saquer
verb
(transitive) To give a student a non-passing grade in an academic endeavour.
négliger
verb
omettre
verb
oublier
verb

What does "fail" mean?

  1. verb To be unsuccessful in achieving something.
    "He failed his driving test twice before passing."
  2. verb To stop working correctly, as of a machine or system.
    "The brakes failed on the way down the hill."
  3. verb To let someone down by not meeting their expectations or needs.
    "The system failed the very people it was meant to protect."
  4. noun Informal: an instance of failure or something that turns out badly.
    "Forgetting the tickets was a total fail."

fail in a sentence

  • He failed his driving test twice before passing.
  • The negotiations failed to reach an agreement.
  • The brakes failed on the way down the hill.
  • The system failed the very people it was meant to protect.

Similar words in French

Common French translations

Frequently asked questions

What is "fail" in French?

"fail" in French is échouer, rater, faillir. fail means: To be unsuccessful in achieving something.

How do you use "fail" in a sentence?

Example: "He failed his driving test twice before passing." In French, "fail" is échouer, rater, faillir.

Are there other ways to say "fail" in French?

Yes — French has 10 translations listed for "fail": échouer, rater, faillir, cesser, décevoir, négliger.

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Translations from WikDict, CC BY-SA · example sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR.