Synonyms and antonyms of To fail, or to stop being successful in British Thesaurus

go tits-up (very informal)

very informal if something goes tits-up it fails completely

fail (verb)

to be unsuccessful when you try to do something

founder (verb)

to begin to fail

languish (verb)

to fail to be successful or to improve

backfire (verb)

if a plan or idea backfires, it has the opposite effect to the one that you wanted

fizzle (verb)

to gradually fail, become less enthusiastic, or disappear, especially after starting successfully

collapse (verb)

to suddenly fail or stop existing

flop (verb)

if a play, film, or new product flops, it is completely unsuccessful

crash (verb)

if a business crashes, it fails suddenly and completely

bomb (verb)

informal to be very unsuccessful

atrophy (verb)

formal if an organization or practice atrophies or is atrophied, it becomes weaker and less effective

be/live in someone’s shadow ()

to feel or seem unsuccessful in comparison to someone who is very successful

bite the dust ()

to fail, die, or stop existing

boomerang (verb)

if something boomerangs on you or against you, it has a bad effect on you instead of on the person it was intended to affect

break down ()

if a relationship or discussion breaks down, it stops being successful

choke (verb)

informal to fail to achieve something, especially because you lose confidence

come a cropper ()

to fail or get into trouble

come apart at the seams ()

to fail completely, or to come to an end

come down in the world ()

to become less rich, powerful, successful etc than you were previously

come/fall apart at the seams ()

to stop being useful or effective

come to grief ()

to be unsuccessful

come to nought ()

to be unsuccessful

come unglued ()

if something such as a plan or system comes unglued, it fails

come unstuck (informal)

informal if something such as a plan or system comes unstuck, it fails

crash and burn ()

to fail completely

crumble (verb)

to stop existing or being effective

die a death ()

to disappear, or to fail

disintegrate (verb)

if an organization or society disintegrates, it stops working effectively and fails completely

do no good ()

to not have any effect or success

elude (verb)

formal if something such as success eludes you, you do not manage to achieve it

evade (verb)

mainly literary if something such as success or happiness evades you, you do not succeed in achieving it

fade (verb)

mainly journalism if a player or team fades, they stop performing well and do not win

fail (verb)

used about actions or plans

fail (verb)

to not do something that people expect you to do

fail (verb)

education to be unsuccessful in achieving a satisfactory level or standard

fail (verb)

if something such as a business or a relationship fails, it has a lot of problems and can no longer continue

fall at the first/final hurdle ()

to fail at the beginning or near the end of something that you are trying to do

fall behind ()

to fail to do something or pay something at the time that you should

fall between two stools ()

to fail because of not definitely being either one thing or another

fall down ()

if something such as an argument or system falls down, it fails because a particular part of it is weak or not correct

fall down on the job ()

to do a particular job or activity in a careless way so that you are not successful

fall flat ()

to not succeed in entertaining someone or making them laugh

fall flat on your face ()

to fail completely, especially in an embarrassing way

fall/go by the wayside ()

to not be successful or effective any longer

fall on stony ground ()

to receive a negative reaction from other people

fall to bits/pieces ()

if a theory, system, or relationship falls to pieces, it no longer works

fuck up (offensive)

offensive an extremely offensive expression that means to make a serious mistake, or to fail completely

get/go nowhere ()

to fail to achieve something, or to fail to be successful

go awry ()

to not happen in the way that was hoped or planned

go by the board ()

if a plan, idea, or activity goes by the board, it is stopped or forgotten

go down/fall/drop like ninepins ()

used for saying that a lot of people suddenly all become ill or all fail at something

go down like a lead balloon ()

to completely fail to please someone

(go) down the pan ()

to fail, or to be spoiled

go down the plughole (British)

British to be completely lost or wasted

go down the tubes/tube ()

to fail completely

go for nothing ()

to achieve nothing, or to be completely wasted

go off the boil ()

to become less successful than before

go pear-shaped ()

to become unsuccessful

go/run off the rails ()

to no longer work as planned or intended

go southwards ()

to get less popular, successful, or valuable

go to rack and ruin ()

to become less successful

go to the wall ()

to fail, especially when this involves losing all your business and money

go/turn sour ()

to be unsuccessful, or to not develop in a satisfactory way

go up in smoke ()

if your plans or dreams go up in smoke, they are destroyed

go wrong ()

used when a problem happens and causes the failure of something such as a relationship or a business

have had it ()

if someone has had it, they are in serious trouble, or they are going to fail

have had your/its day ()

to have stopped being successful, effective, or fashionable, especially because of being no longer young

hit the buffers ()

to fail

implode (verb)

if something such as an organization or an economic system implodes, it is completely destroyed by things that are happening within it

lag (verb)

to not be as successful or advanced as another person, organization, or group

lay an egg ()

to fail completely in what you are trying to do

lead nowhere ()

to have no successful or useful result

lose ground ()

to go into a position where you are less strong, advanced, or successful than someone else

meet your Waterloo ()

to fail at something that you have always been successful at until now

miscarry (verb)

mainly literary if a plan or activity miscarries, it fails or goes wrong

misfire (verb)

if a plan or activity misfires, it goes wrong or does not have the result that you wanted

miss (verb)

to fail to catch something that is being thrown or given to you

nosedive (verb)

if something nosedives, it suddenly becomes a lot less successful

not get someone anywhere ()

used for saying that a particular action or type of behaviour does not help someone to achieve anything

self-destruct (verb)

informal to do something to harm yourself or to make yourself fail

sink without trace ()

to disappear or fail completely

slip through your fingers ()

if something such as a chance, opportunity, or prize slips through your fingers, you fail to get it or to take advantage of it

something ends with a whimper ()

if something ends with a whimper, it ends without success and no one notices or cares much

sour (verb)

if a relationship or situation sours, or if something sours it, it stops being successful or satisfactory

sputter (verb)

if an activity sputters, it continues with difficulty and seems likely to stop

strike out (mainly American)

mainly Americaninformal to be unsuccessful in trying to do something

tank (verb)

mainly American if something such as a product tanks, it fails completely

totter (verb)

if a system or process totters, it becomes weak and looks as if it will soon stop or be destroyed

underperform (verb)

to be less successful than people expect

unravel (verb)

if a process or project unravels, it begins to fail

the wheels come off ()

used for saying that things start to fail or go wrong, especially after a period of success

wither on the vine ()

to fail, especially at an early stage, because of a lack of support or interest