failed

failed — adjective

1. used before a noun to describe something that tried to work, win, exist, or be e

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

used before a noun to describe something that tried to work, win, exist, or be effective but did not — for example, a business that closed, a plan that produced no result, or a relationship that did not last.

Example

Lucía sold the building of her failed bakery and moved back to her hometown.

attributive: failed [business]

After three failed attempts to climb the mountain, the team finally reached the summit.

collocation: failed attempts

Common collocations
  • failed attempt
  • failed marriage
  • failed business
  • failed state
  • failed coup
  • failed experiment
Synonyms
  • unsuccessful

    neutral and broader; can describe people and outcomes, used both before nouns and after linking verbs

  • abortive

    more formal; an effort that ended early before it could succeed

  • doomed

    stronger; suggests failure was certain from the start

  • collapsed

    stresses sudden total breakdown, especially of businesses or governments

Antonyms
  • successful

    the standard opposite for projects, attempts, and people

  • thriving

    stronger positive; doing very well, growing

Grammar Patterns

a failed [thing]

failed [attempt/state/business]

Usage Note

Almost always sits before the noun (attributive). Avoid using it after a linking verb — say 'the project failed' or 'the project was unsuccessful', not 'the project was failed'. Common nouns it modifies: business, attempt, marriage, state, coup, relationship, project, experiment.

Common Mistakes

The plan was failed.
The plan failed.' / 'It was a failed plan.
'failed' as an adjective only works before a noun, not after a linking verb.
a failed person
an unsuccessful person
'failed' before 'person' sounds harsh and unnatural; use 'unsuccessful' instead.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

These five all describe something that did not work, but each chooses a different angle. 'Failed' is the everyday word and sits before a noun: a failed business, a failed attempt. 'Unsuccessful' is more flexible — it can describe people ('an unsuccessful candidate') and works both before nouns and after linking verbs ('the surgery was unsuccessful'). 'Abortive' is formal and emphasises that the effort ended before it could finish: an abortive escape, an abortive launch. 'Doomed' adds the flavour that failure was certain from the start, often with an emotional weight ('a doomed romance'). 'Collapsed' is dramatic and physical-sounding — a collapsed bank, a collapsed deal — implying sudden, total breakdown. Compare: a failed startup simply did not survive; a doomed startup was hopeless from day one; a collapsed startup fell apart suddenly under pressure.

failed ↗unsuccessful ↗abortivedoomedcollapsed

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • a failed attempt to
  • a failed bid for
  • yet another failed [noun]

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The past participle of the verb 'fail', used as an adjective. The verb 'fail' came into Middle English from Old French 'faillir', from Latin 'fallere', meaning 'to deceive, disappoint, or be lacking'. The participle form has been used to describe unsuccessful efforts, businesses, and outcomes since at least the 16th century.