almost fail

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "almost fail" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where someone or something is very close to failing but ultimately does not. Example: "During the final exam, I almost fail due to my lack of preparation, but I managed to pull through at the last minute."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Food

Music

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

Words almost fail me".

The Guardian - Sport

It's so good that I almost fail to notice Jesy's horrible gold leggings.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Trembling Bells have changed direction once again – but now sound so frantic that they almost fail to do themselves justice.

The Guardian - Music

There's a Georgia pea soup with such resonant pea flavor that you wonder about the bastard pedigree of all prior peas in your life and almost fail to notice the morels and the delicate crawfish in the soup.

The New York Times - Food

So fixated are they on their reading, they almost fail to notice one another.

BBC

SEATTLE--A new microscope is so exquisitely sensitive that scientific terms almost fail to describe it.

Science Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

"He almost failed math".

The New York Times

Ferguson almost failed at the start.

The New York Times - Sports

George Washington almost failed the first; Bill Clinton finessed the second.

The New York Times - Magazine

It almost failed when a Canadian company threatened to corner its local energy supply: cow manure.

The New York Times

Curly Smart, a popular driver & trainer, almost failed to appear in the race.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "almost fail" to describe situations where the outcome was very close to being a failure, but ultimately wasn't. This phrase is useful in narratives to build suspense or highlight resilience.

Common error

Be mindful of tense. "Almost fail" suggests a present or general possibility, while "almost failed" indicates something that nearly happened in the past but didn't. For example, "He almost fails every test" implies a recurring risk, while "He almost failed the last test" refers to a specific past event.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "almost fail" functions as a modifier and verb combination, indicating the proximity to a state of failure. According to Ludwig AI, this phrase is usable and correct.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

64%

Science

16%

Formal & Business

7%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

1%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "almost fail" is a grammatically sound expression used to describe a situation where someone or something narrowly avoids failure. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. While not extremely common, it appears across diverse sources like news, science, and business. Alternative phrases include "nearly fail" and "come close to failing". When using "almost fail", be mindful of the tense to accurately convey the intended meaning. It's a valuable phrase for building suspense or highlighting resilience in narratives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

nearly fail

Indicates a close margin of failure, similar to "almost fail" but slightly more direct.

almost flunk

Synonymous to almost fail. "Flunk" is more informal.

narrowly avoid failure

Focuses on the act of successfully averting failure.

come close to failing

More descriptive, emphasizing the process of approaching failure.

escape failing

Focuses on the successful evasion of failure.

skirt with failure

Suggests narrowly avoiding failure, often implying a risky situation.

teeter on the brink of failure

Highlights instability and the imminence of failure.

come within an inch of failing

Emphasizes the small margin by which failure was avoided.

barely pass

Specifically implies achieving the minimum requirement to avoid failure.

scrape by

Suggests a difficult and uncertain avoidance of failure.

FAQs

How can I use "almost fail" in a sentence?

You can use "almost fail" to indicate a situation where someone or something nearly experiences failure. For example, "The business "almost failed" due to the economic downturn, but they managed to recover".

What's a more formal alternative to "almost fail"?

A more formal alternative could be "nearly succumb to failure" or "approached failure". These alternatives are suitable for professional or academic contexts.

Is it better to say "almost fail" or "nearly fail"?

"Almost fail" and "nearly fail" are largely interchangeable. "Nearly fail" might be slightly more common in some contexts, but both are grammatically correct and widely understood.

What does it mean when someone says they "almost fail"?

When someone says they "almost fail", it means they came very close to failing a test, task, or situation, but ultimately avoided it. It implies a narrow escape from failure.