despite its failure

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "despite its failure" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something occurred or was attempted regardless of a previous failure. Example: "Despite its failure, the project provided valuable insights for future endeavors."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

53 human-written examples

The Easter Rising was quelled within six days by British troops, but despite its failure it is seen as a significant stepping stone to the eventual creation of the Republic of Ireland and the partition of Ireland.

BBC

The wall was built over several dynasties and despite its failure to prevent invasions, it has become a national symbol.

The Guardian

Stagecoach said despite its failure to secure a direct award, it was in a strong position to bid for the contract against other operators.

The Guardian - Business

Kevin Drum sends us to Michael Kinsley, who is still worried about inflation despite its failure to explode the way he thought it would.

The New York Times

Despite its failure to balance the government budget since the 1970s, it is not Greece or Ireland or Portugal.

The Economist

But despite its failure to make waves (at least the right sort – it did generate plenty of unwanted headlines), such was the hype surrounding the proposed reef that redevelopment of the Boscombe pier area began anyway.

The Guardian - Travel

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

7 human-written examples

Despites its failure in April, reports are that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid may bring a background check bill back to the floor between the Fourth of July and August recesses.

Huffington Post

Google is not giving up on its social ambitions, it seems, despite its failures with Google+.

TechCrunch

Despite its failures and weaknesses, the AU keeps the dream alive.

The Guardian - Opinion

Despite its failures over the riots, the answer may be yes.

The Economist

The likely winner, despite its failures here and abroad, is Serco, a firm prominent as both a beneficiary of, and advocate for, outsourcing of human services.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "despite its failure" to highlight a surprising or unexpected outcome, where something positive or significant still occurs even after a setback. This adds emphasis to the resilience or unexpected success in the situation.

Common error

Avoid using "despite its failure" when the failure completely nullifies any potential outcome or benefit. The phrase implies that something of value still transpired, even if the initial attempt was unsuccessful.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "despite its failure" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a clause to express contrast or concession. Ludwig AI shows it indicates that something is true or occurred even though there was a failure.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Encyclopedias

15%

Science

13%

Less common in

Wiki

6%

Formal & Business

3%

Academia

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "despite its failure" is a commonly used and grammatically correct construction used to express a contrast between a failure and a subsequent event or state. Ludwig AI confirms its usability and correctness. It functions as an adverbial phrase, adding a layer of concession to a statement. It is frequently used in News & Media, Encyclopedias, and Science, maintains a neutral register, and is suitable for various contexts where resilience or unexpected outcomes are being highlighted. Using alternatives like "in spite of its failure" or "even though it failed" can provide variety while retaining similar meanings. Ensure its use is appropriate by verifying that something positive or meaningful still occurred despite the setback.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in spite of its failure

Substitutes "despite" with "in spite of", offering a synonymous expression with minimal semantic shift.

regardless of its failure

Emphasizes that the failure does not affect the subsequent action or state.

notwithstanding its failure

Replaces "despite" with "notwithstanding", a more formal synonym. It maintains the same logical structure and meaning.

even though it failed

Restructures the phrase into a clause, clarifying the condition and outcome directly.

although it was unsuccessful

Replaces "failure" with "unsuccessful", maintaining the contrastive relationship with a slightly different emphasis.

even with its lack of success

Alters the phrase to highlight the "lack of success", keeping the core meaning intact.

failure notwithstanding

Puts the failure as a starting point. Inverts the structure while preserving the meaning.

with all its failings

Focuses on multiple "failings" rather than a single "failure", suggesting a broader range of shortcomings. It keeps the core message of something existing despite those failings.

on its failing but

Uses a more colloquial tone. Indicates that the attempt wasn't successful but something came out of it.

yet it bombed but

A more direct and informal substitution using "yet" to contrast the failure with a subsequent event.

FAQs

How can I use "despite its failure" in a sentence?

Use "despite its failure" to show that something positive or significant happened even though an initial attempt failed. For example, "Despite its failure, the experiment provided valuable data."

What are some alternatives to "despite its failure"?

You can use alternatives like "in spite of its failure", "even though it failed", or "regardless of its failure" depending on the context.

Is it always appropriate to use "despite its failure"?

No, ensure that some positive or unexpected outcome still occurred or exists despite the failure. If the failure completely negates everything, a different phrase might be more appropriate.

What's the difference between "despite its failure" and "because of its failure"?

"Despite its failure" indicates something happened in spite of the failure, while "because of its failure" implies the failure caused something to happen. They have opposite meanings.