complete failure

USAGE SUMMARY

"complete failure" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use this phrase in a variety of contexts to refer to something that has been unsuccessful to the extreme, for example: The project was a complete failure, and the team had to start over from scratch.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Complete failure.

The Economist

Tebow was a complete failure.

The New York Times

It was a complete failure.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Self-regulation was a complete failure".

The Economist

I felt like a complete failure.

The New York Times

"It has been a complete failure.

The Guardian

But actually, it was a complete failure.

The Guardian - Arts

"It's a complete failure," he said, laughing.

The New York Times

Ultimately, his plan was a complete failure.

The New York Times - Books

But the exercise wasn't a complete failure.

Harvard Business Review

It's uncaring, it's insensitive, it's a complete failure of leadership".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "complete failure", ensure the context clearly demonstrates a total lack of success, not merely a setback or partial achievement. The term is strongest when the negative outcome is undeniable.

Common error

Avoid labeling something a "complete failure" if it experienced minor setbacks or yielded some positive results. Reserve the phrase for situations where the endeavor was entirely unsuccessful.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "complete failure" functions as a noun phrase, where "complete" modifies the noun "failure". As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is used to describe something that has been entirely unsuccessful.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "complete failure" is a commonly used noun phrase to describe an endeavor that has been entirely unsuccessful. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and wide applicability. It's important to reserve this strong phrase for situations where there's no ambiguity about the negative outcome and avoid using it for minor setbacks. Alternatives like "utter disaster" or "total flop" may be more appropriate in certain contexts. The phrase sees frequent use in news media, science, and formal business settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unequivocal failure

Emphasizes that there is no doubt about the failure's occurrence or extent.

resounding failure

Adds emphasis with "resounding", highlighting the magnitude of the failure.

unmitigated disaster

Combines the concepts of "unmitigated" (absolute) and "disaster" for a stronger impact.

utter disaster

Replaces "failure" with "disaster", emphasizing the catastrophic nature of the outcome.

absolute catastrophe

Uses "catastrophe" to underscore the disastrous and far-reaching consequences.

abject failure

Replaces "complete" with "abject", suggesting a miserable or wretched failure.

thorough failure

Substitutes "complete" with "thorough", implying a comprehensive and exhaustive failure.

wholesale failure

Suggests that the failure affects every aspect of the situation.

total flop

Uses a more informal term, "flop", to describe a complete lack of success.

dismal failure

Conveys a sense of gloom and disappointment associated with the failure.

FAQs

How can I use "complete failure" in a sentence?

You can use "complete failure" to describe an endeavor that was entirely unsuccessful. For example, "The project was a "complete failure", and the team had to start over."

What are some alternatives to "complete failure"?

Some alternatives to "complete failure" include "utter disaster", "total flop", or "resounding failure" depending on the context.

Is it too strong to describe something as a "complete failure"?

The term "complete failure" is strong and should be reserved for situations where there is no ambiguity about the lack of success. If there were any positive outcomes or partial achievements, a less absolute term might be more appropriate.

What's the difference between "complete failure" and "partial failure"?

"Complete failure" indicates that something was entirely unsuccessful, while "partial failure" suggests that there were some successes alongside the failures. In other words, "partial failure" implies a mixed outcome, while "complete failure" implies a uniformly negative one.