Failure is a part of life and learning to express it effectively can help in better communication. Whether in personal conversations or professional settings, using idioms and phrasal verbs related to failure can add color and depth to your language. Here are 20 expressions to enhance your vocabulary.
1. Bite the Dust
Meaning: Fail completely
Example: His new business bit the dust last month.
2. Come a Cropper
Meaning: Meet with failure
Example: She came a cropper in the last race.
3. Fall Flat
Meaning: Fail to impress
Example: His joke fell flat with the audience.
4. Go Down in Flames
Meaning: Fail spectacularly
Example: The project went down in flames after budget cuts.
5. Hit a Snag
Meaning: Encounter a problem
Example: We hit a snag with the software update.
6. Strike Out
Meaning: Fail completely
Example: He struck out in his attempt to win.
7. Miss the Boat
Meaning: Miss an opportunity
Example: I missed the boat on that job offer.
8. Fall Short
Meaning: Fail to meet expectations
Example: The proposal fell short of our standards.
9. Crash and Burn
Meaning: Fail spectacularly
Example: Their startup crashed and burned within a year.
10. Come to Grief
Meaning: Meet with failure
Example: The expedition came to grief in bad weather.
11. Hit Rock Bottom
Meaning: Reach the lowest point
Example: After the failure, he hit rock bottom.
12. Go Belly Up
Meaning: Go bankrupt or fail
Example: The company went belly up last quarter.
13. Bite Off More Than One Can Chew
Meaning: Take on too much
Example: He bit off more than he could chew with this project.
14. Draw a Blank
Meaning: Fail to find an answer
Example: She drew a blank during the interview.
15. Go to Pot
Meaning: Deteriorate or fail
Example: The plan went to pot after his resignation.
16. Flop
Meaning: Fail badly
Example: The movie flopped at the box office.
17. Hit the Skids
Meaning: Decline or fail
Example: His career hit the skids after the scandal.
18. Bomb
Meaning: Fail miserably
Example: The show bombed on its opening night.
19. Bite the Big One
Meaning: Fail badly
Example: Their latest product bit the big one in sales.
20. Fall by the Wayside
Meaning: Fail to continue
Example: Many startups fall by the wayside within a year.
