all but failed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "all but failed" is correct and usable in written English.
This phrase is most commonly used when describing a situation or activity that was close to failing but didn't quite make it. For example, "The test was difficult, and I all but failed."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Rather than drip-feeding public support, they argue, the state should take over those banks that have all but failed, clean up their balance sheets and then quickly sell them.Meanwhile the Democratic Obama administration considers nationalisation taboo.

The Economist

A1 Compensation Deadline Stands Congressional officials from the New York area conceded that their last-gasp attempt to extend the deadline for the federal government's extraordinary program to compensate the relatives of Sept. 11 victims had all but failed.

The New York Times

PAGE A8 Compensation Deadline Firm Congressional officials conceded their attempt to extend the deadline for the extraordinary program to compensate the relatives of Sept. 11 victims had all but failed.

The New York Times

His efforts to bring the defeated Likud into government, as well as the ultra-orthodox Shas party, whose leader is about to begin a prison sentence for fraud and bribery, have all but failed.

The Guardian

Yet, so far (except for the state of Texas) U.S. policy makers have all but failed to embrace the urgency.

Huffington Post

By the 1960s, however, this attempt to use the psychosocial to limit the jurisdiction of biology had all but failed.

History of the Human Sciences

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

In that time the likes of Tony Coton, Raimond van der Gouw, Massimo Taibi, Fabien Barthez, Roy Carroll, Ricardo, Tim Howard and Ben Foster were all recruited but failed to deliver the consistency Ferguson was hoping for.

Independent

Microsoft built the Surface to be a Jack of all trades, but failed to make sure it was even competent at any one task.

TechCrunch

Rumor was favored to win it all last year, but failed to do so.

Huffington Post

Most of the work on view operates with such an unambitious notion of art's potential as to all but fail the basic requirements of the discipline, miring the show in artistic academicism and literal-mindedness.

The New York Times - Arts

Sidney Crosby, Chris Kunitz and Tavares all went close, but failed to find a way through.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "all but failed" to emphasize how close something came to not succeeding. This adds a sense of drama or urgency to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "all but failed" when something has completely and unequivocally failed. The phrase implies a near miss, not a total loss.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "all but failed" functions as a qualifier, modifying a verb to indicate the near completion of an action or state. Ludwig AI confirms its usage in describing situations that were close to a particular outcome but did not fully reach it.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "all but failed" is a qualifier indicating that something almost reached the point of failure. Ludwig AI analysis reveals that it's grammatically correct and usable, predominantly found in News & Media and Science contexts. While not exceedingly common, it adds emphasis to the precarious nature of a situation. Remember to use it when conveying a near-miss scenario rather than a complete failure. Alternatives such as "almost failed" or "nearly failed" can be used for similar effect, depending on the desired nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost failed

Replaces "all but" with "almost", maintaining a direct expression of near failure.

nearly failed

Substitutes "all but" with "nearly", providing a slightly less emphatic indication of impending failure.

virtually failed

Uses "virtually" instead of "all but", suggesting the failure was so close as to be practically complete.

practically failed

Replaces "all but" with "practically", indicating the failure was on the verge of happening.

came close to failing

Expands the phrase to explicitly state the proximity to failure.

teetered on the brink of failure

Uses metaphorical language to describe the precariousness of the situation before it failed.

narrowly avoided failure

Emphasizes the avoidance of failure, rather than the near miss itself.

was on the verge of failing

Highlights the imminence of failure without it fully materializing.

only just succeeded

Shifts the focus to the narrow success, implying the near failure.

scraped through

Informal expression indicating a bare minimum level of success after nearly failing.

FAQs

What does "all but failed" mean?

The phrase "all but failed" means that something almost failed, or came very close to failing, but ultimately did not.

How can I use "all but failed" in a sentence?

You can use "all but failed" to describe a situation where something nearly resulted in failure, such as, "The company "all but failed" during the recession but managed to recover."

What can I say instead of "all but failed"?

You can use alternatives like "almost failed", "nearly failed", or "virtually failed" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "all but succeeded"?

Yes, the construction "all but" can be used with other verbs besides "failed". "All but succeeded" means that something nearly succeeded.