described to fail

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "described to fail" is not correct in standard written English.
It seems to be an attempt to convey that something is characterized or labeled in a way that suggests it will fail, but the phrasing is awkward. Example: "The project was described to fail due to lack of funding and support."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

In agreement with the results of this study, chloroquine phosphate has been described to fail in inhibiting radiographic joint destruction and to have a relatively slow onset of action when compared with other DMARDs [ 34, 42].

Arthritis Research and Therapy

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Republicans have cannily described that 'too big to fail' designation as meaning the institutions are earmarked for bailouts.

Huffington Post

However, this does not mean that the actions I have described above are doomed to fail.

F1000Research

It should be pointed out that the architectures described above fail to meet all EDH requirements, programmable network technologies, and joint management of the operational services proposed in WiSEED.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

However, beneath the surface of a protein, ASA fails to describe to what extent a residue is buried.

Plosone

We suggest further performance evaluation of these models during wetting periods when they are known to fail to describe preferential and non-equilibrium flow phenomena.

Journal of Hydrology

However, in past twenty years the DFT methods were found to fail in describing the molecular dispersion interactions [39 42].

Chemistry Central Journal

As highlighted by studies with similar results, EQ5D seems to fail to describe mild-severity health levels [ 16, 27].

European Journal of Health Economics

In addition, the educational interventions tested were generally poorly described, and failed to adhere to theoretical models.

Patient Education and Counseling

Moreover, the binary approach described fails to reflect the trade-offs made with respect to differing treatment attributes that may drive ultimate treatment choice.

BMC Health Services Research

But much else about how the younger Lanza is described fails to fit an autism spectrum diagnosis, although Solomon, who has a PhD in psychology, frequently interjects to interpret it that way for the reader.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When indicating that something is expected to fail, use stronger and more common alternatives like "destined to fail" or "set up to fail" for clarity and impact.

Common error

Avoid using the passive construction "described to fail" as it sounds unnatural. Instead, opt for active voice constructions or stronger verbs to convey the intended meaning more effectively.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "described to fail" functions as a passive construction, indicating that something has been characterized or assessed with an expectation of failure. However, Ludwig AI points out that this phrasing is not standard English. It often appears where a more direct or active construction would be clearer.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "described to fail" is an uncommon and somewhat awkward passive construction that suggests a negative prognosis. Ludwig AI indicates this phrasing is not standard English, and stronger alternatives like "set up to fail" or "destined to fail" are recommended for greater clarity and impact. The phrase appears rarely, primarily in science and news contexts. Although understandable, its grammatical correctness is disputed, making it advisable to use alternative phrasing in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

destined to fail

Emphasizes inevitability and predetermination of failure.

doomed to failure

Implies a grim or unfortunate certainty of failing.

set up to fail

Suggests that external factors or deliberate actions caused the failure.

bound to collapse

Specifically conveys a future certainty of something collapsing.

predisposed to failure

Indicates an inherent tendency or vulnerability to failing.

designed to fail

Highlights that the failure was an intended or engineered outcome.

likely to collapse

Similar to "bound to collapse", but expresses more uncertainty.

anticipated to fail

Focuses on the expectation or prediction of the failure.

expected to break down

Suggests a breakdown, rather than a simple failure.

programmed to self-destruct

Focuses on a deliberate, internal mechanism leading to failure.

FAQs

What does "described to fail" mean?

The phrase "described to fail" is an awkward way of saying something is characterized in a way that suggests it will likely fail. It's better to use alternatives like "set up to fail" or "destined to fail".

How can I improve the phrase "described to fail" in my writing?

Replace "described to fail" with stronger alternatives like "set up to fail", "designed to fail", or "doomed to failure" for a clearer and more impactful message.

Is "described to fail" grammatically correct?

While understandable, "described to fail" is not considered standard English. It's better to use more common and grammatically sound alternatives such as "destined to fail" or "set up to fail".

What are some situations where I can use alternatives to "described to fail"?

Use alternatives like "predisposed to failure" when indicating an inherent tendency, "designed to fail" when referring to an intentional outcome, or "doomed to failure" when highlighting an inevitable negative result.