came close but failed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "came close but failed" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where someone or something nearly achieved a goal but ultimately did not succeed. Example: "The team came close but failed to win the championship after a hard-fought season."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The 1980 request did not pass, and the 1988 games came close but failed to see the sport's admission, which was backed by the International Rugby Football Board (now, International Rugby Board, IRB).

Wikipedia

The Brahmas scored with just under six minutes remaining on Neil Ignacio's second goal in the match after the Falcons came close, but failed in delivering an insurance goal in the minutes after their own strike.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Dunblane has grown used to steeling itself in many previous grand slam tournaments, watching Murray come close but fail.

The Guardian - Sport

Several attempts in the past two years to reach such an agreement have come close, but ultimately failed, the last time when the two sides were unable to reach a consensus on the release of an Israeli soldier captured by Hamas, Gilad Shalit.

The New York Times

Came close, but it never happened".

The New York Times

Barclays came closest, but the British government blocked the deal hours before a Sunday-night deadline an intervention Mr Paulson failed to see coming, despite warning signs.

The Economist

Some have simply failed, others have come close but haven't quite found a big enough market to justify further investment.

The Guardian

Another attack on October 15 came close to succeeding but ultimately failed, and hence Fort Budapest became the only position of the Bar Lev Line to be remain in Israeli hands.

Wikipedia

The hosts came close to an equaliser but George Francomb failed to get on the end of George Porter's low ball in.

BBC

While six of Howe's ships did break the French line as ordered, and several others came close, many of his captains failed to follow orders and instead engaged the enemy from a distance in desultory gun duels which had little effect.

Wikipedia

Teenage substitute Charlie Kelman came close to equalising in the second half but failed to bring the ball under control just a couple of yards out and Barnsley goalkeeper Adam Davies clawed it away.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "came close but failed" when you want to emphasize both the near success and the ultimate lack of achievement. This construction is effective in highlighting the tension between possibility and reality.

Common error

While effective, relying too heavily on "came close but failed" can make your writing repetitive. Vary your phrasing by using synonyms like "almost succeeded" or "nearly achieved" to maintain reader interest.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "came close but failed" functions as a compound predicate, describing an action that almost reached completion but ultimately did not succeed. It often serves to highlight a near miss or a disappointing outcome. Ludwig AI confirms this usage through various examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

50%

Science

0%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "came close but failed" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to describe near success followed by ultimate failure. According to Ludwig AI, this expression is correct and usable in written English. It appears most frequently in News & Media and Wiki contexts, maintaining a neutral register suitable for a variety of descriptive purposes. When using this phrase, consider varying your language with alternatives like "almost succeeded" or "nearly achieved" to avoid repetition. The examples provided demonstrate the phrase's effectiveness in conveying both the proximity to success and the subsequent disappointment.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost succeeded but didn't

Replaces "came close" with "almost succeeded" and "failed" with "didn't", making it slightly less formal.

nearly achieved but fell short

Substitutes "came close" with "nearly achieved" and "failed" with "fell short", offering a more metaphorical expression.

narrowly missed success

Condenses the phrase into a more concise expression, focusing on the missed opportunity.

came within striking distance but ultimately failed

Adds the imagery of "striking distance" to emphasize the nearness of success before failure.

was on the verge of succeeding but failed

Emphasizes being "on the verge" to highlight the anticipation before the eventual failure.

came so near yet so far

Uses a common idiom to express the frustration of almost achieving a goal.

almost made it but didn't quite

A more informal and conversational way of expressing near success followed by failure.

came close to victory but was defeated

Specifically highlights the context of "victory" and "defeat", making it suitable for competitive scenarios.

looked promising but ultimately unsuccessful

Focuses on the initial positive outlook before the eventual lack of success.

approached success but couldn't seal the deal

Introduces the business-related metaphor of "sealing the deal" to emphasize the finality of the failure.

FAQs

How can I use "came close but failed" in a sentence?

You can use "came close but failed" to describe a situation where someone or something almost reached a goal but ultimately did not succeed. For example, "The team "came close but failed" to win the championship after a hard-fought season."

What are some alternatives to "came close but failed"?

You can use alternatives like "almost succeeded", "nearly achieved", or "fell short" depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "came close but failed"?

Yes, "came close but failed" is grammatically correct and commonly used in English writing and speech.

What's the difference between "came close but failed" and "almost succeeded but didn't"?

While both phrases convey a similar meaning, "came close but failed" emphasizes the nearness of success, whereas "almost succeeded but didn't" focuses on the lack of ultimate success. The choice depends on which aspect you want to highlight.