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failed

v. · adj.
US //ˈfeɪɫd// UK //fˈeɪld// failed
  1. 1 did not succeed (v.)
    A2 Elementary

    to not achieve a goal or not pass a test.

    the past tense of fail, indicating a lack of success in achieving a specific objective or meeting a standard.

    Example

    He failed his driving test twice before finally passing last month.

    Example

    The expedition failed to reach the summit due to deteriorating weather conditions and a critical shortage of oxygen supplies.
  2. 2 unsuccessful (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    describing something that did not work or did not reach its goal.

    describing an attempt, project, or person that has not achieved the desired outcome.

    Example

    The police launched a search after a failed attempt to contact the witness.

    Example

    The company's failed expansion into the European market resulted in significant financial losses and a complete restructuring of the board.
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  1. 3 bankrupt or broken (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    describing a business that has run out of money or a part of the body that no longer works.

    referring to a commercial entity that has become insolvent or a biological system that has ceased to function.

    Example

    The government had to step in to manage the failed bank.

    Example

    The surgeon explained that the patient required a transplant to replace the failed organ before systemic infection could take hold.
Idioms1 entry

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