# fail upwards

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/fail-upwards
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To advance in one's career despite failure or incompetence.

## Examples

- He keeps getting promotions even though he fails upwards.
- Despite his disastrous management of the project, he managed to fail upwards into a vice president role.
- The executive seemed to fail upwards, consistently securing higher positions after each corporate catastrophe he oversaw.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.