caused to fail

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "caused to fail" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where an action or event leads to a failure, often implying that the failure was not due to the subject's own actions. Example: "The system was caused to fail due to a critical error in the software."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Everyone, and I include those victims and survivors who have turned their back on the inquiry, should understand that if it is caused to fail, there will not be another one.

The Guardian - Opinion

"A lot of computer systems," notes Porquet, "can be caused to fail in a predictable manner.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

But it's one that cannot fail, or it's one that we better not cause to fail.

Forbes

And find out what mistakes were made that have caused it to fail.

Harvard Business Review

What crushing personal faults have caused you to fail again and again?

Huffington Post

This caused extraneous listings of the files in the ACIS CalDB index, and caused acis_bkgrnd_lookup to fail.

Harvard University

Depositors withdrew money from banks, which caused banks to fail.

The New York Times - Books

There was an error in Q8 that caused Q20 to fail.

University of California, Berkeley

We never know the precise nature of this friendship or what caused it to fail.

The Guardian - Music

If VitaminWater has caused you to fail a drug test, press here.

The New York Times

The sisters' bold, brassy vocal style initially caused them to fail several auditions.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "caused to fail", ensure the sentence clearly identifies the agent or event responsible for the failure to avoid ambiguity. For example, "Poor maintenance caused the equipment to fail."

Common error

Avoid using "caused to fail" without specifying what initiated the failure. Overly broad statements like "Mistakes caused the project to fail" lack precision and weaken the impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "caused to fail" functions as a causal connector, indicating that a specific action or event led to a negative outcome or lack of success. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a correct and usable phrase for showing cause and effect.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Academia

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "caused to fail" is a grammatically sound phrase used to express causality in failure scenarios. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. Although not exceedingly common, the phrase appears across various contexts, including news, academic writing, and scientific literature. To ensure clarity, specify the cause when using this phrase and avoid vagueness. Alternatives such as "led to failure" or "resulted in failure" can be used depending on the desired nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

led to failure

Focuses on the outcome of leading to a failure, implying a direct consequence.

resulted in failure

Similar to 'led to failure', emphasizing the result of a previous action.

brought about its downfall

More dramatic, suggesting a significant and impactful failure.

precipitated its collapse

Implies a sudden and forceful failure, often with broader consequences.

triggered its demise

Similar to 'precipitated its collapse', suggesting an event that initiated the end.

made it unsuccessful

A more general way to express failure, lacking the causal emphasis.

doomed it to fail

Suggests a predetermined or unavoidable failure.

ensured its failure

Highlights the certainty and intentionality of the failure.

set it up for failure

Implies that conditions were arranged to make failure likely.

was the reason for its failure

Directly states the cause of the failure, removing some of the nuance.

FAQs

How can I use "caused to fail" in a sentence?

You can use "caused to fail" to indicate that something or someone was the reason for something's lack of success. For example, "Lack of funding caused the project to fail".

What are some alternatives to "caused to fail"?

Alternatives include "led to failure", "resulted in failure", or "brought about its downfall". The best choice depends on the specific context and desired emphasis.

Is it better to say "cause to fail" or "caused to fail"?

"Cause to fail" is the infinitive form, while "caused to fail" is the past tense form. Use "caused to fail" when referring to a past event. The appropriate form depends on the tense of your sentence.

What's the difference between "caused to fail" and "failed because of"?

"Caused to fail" emphasizes the agent or event that brought about the failure, while "failed because of" focuses on the reason for the failure. The choice depends on whether you want to highlight the cause or the reason.