encounter a failure

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "encounter a failure" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing experiences or situations where something did not succeed or did not go as planned. Example: "During the project, we encountered a failure that required us to reassess our strategy."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

GENERAL MOTORS Buyers of vehicles with eAssist mild-hybrid systems may encounter a failure of the system's drive belt.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

This is critical for all large-scale calculations and is independent of the code being run because the longer the run and the larger the system, the more likely one is to encounter a component failure during a calculation.

Bioinformatics

I believe the death of a fellow human being in these encounters is a failure for which blame in many situations cannot be assigned; it is more likely a failure of a system".

Vice

The study concludes that tin plated contacts could encounter an early failure even at shorter track lengths of ± 5 μm, if there is sufficient accumulation of the wear debris at the contact zone.

Surface and Coatings Technology

However, developers often encounter situations where a failure occurs, but where no or no appropriate test suite is available for use to localize the fault.

Information and Software Technology

I know that in process of achieving my dream I will encounter a lot of failure, a lot of pain.

Huffington Post

Women's views of the personal relevance and perceived accuracy of online information create the potential for regret, for example women may select ERCS over trial of labour and later encounter a sense of failure and dissatisfaction as a result [ 24].

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

Especially, the soft sensor built with old data may encounter performance deterioration due to a failure of capturing the time-variant behaviors of batch processes, thus adaptive strategies are necessary.

Chemical Engineering Science

For some, defeat was a highly visible encounter with failure.

Princeton University

Maybe what was a rare or even first encounter with failure for the Huskies will put Auriemma a little closer to coaching satisfaction, the possibility of winning something when they are not expected to.

The New York Times - Sports

All the box-beams encountered a local flexural failure at top flange and end block-out of the beams, which prevented the accomplishment of expected ultimate shear failure and anticipated ductility levels (Tadepalli et al. 2014).

International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "encounter a failure" to describe situations where a problem or lack of success is met during a process or endeavor. It's suitable for formal and informal contexts, indicating an event that was not necessarily expected, but was nonetheless experienced.

Common error

Avoid using overly formal or complex synonyms for "encounter" if a simpler word like "face" or "experience" conveys the same meaning effectively, especially in informal writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "encounter a failure" typically functions as a verb phrase, acting as the predicate of a sentence or clause. It describes the action of meeting or experiencing an unsuccessful outcome, and, according to Ludwig AI, is a correct expression.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Academia

11%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "encounter a failure" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to describe experiencing a setback or unsuccessful outcome. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness. It finds application across various domains, including science, news, and academia. While synonyms like "experience a failure" or "face a failure" exist, the best choice depends on the specific context and desired nuance. When writing, ensure the level of formality aligns with the audience and purpose, and avoid overcomplicating the language. "Encounter a failure" is a versatile phrase that is useful for expressing the reality of setbacks in various aspects of life and work.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

experience a failure

Replaces "encounter" with "experience", emphasizing the direct feeling or undergoing of the failure.

face a failure

Uses "face" instead of "encounter", suggesting a more confrontational or direct engagement with the failure.

meet with failure

Employs "meet with" to indicate an interaction or confrontation with the failure.

run into a failure

Uses "run into" suggesting an unexpected or accidental experience of failure.

suffer a failure

Indicates that the failure causes distress or harm.

undergo a failure

Replaces "encounter" with "undergo" suggesting a more passive experiencing of the failure.

have a failure

A more direct and simple expression indicating possession of the failure experience.

be confronted with failure

Adds emphasis on the confrontational aspect of dealing with failure.

stumble upon a failure

Similar to "run into", but implies a more accidental or less expected encounter.

experience setbacks

Shifts focus to general setbacks rather than a singular failure, broadening the scope.

FAQs

What does "encounter a failure" mean?

The phrase "encounter a failure" means to experience a setback or to face a situation where the desired outcome is not achieved. It implies that the failure was met during a process or activity.

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

You can use "encounter a failure" to describe any situation where something went wrong or did not succeed. For example, "During the experiment, we encountered a failure that required us to adjust our methods."

What are some alternatives to "encounter a failure"?

Some alternatives to "encounter a failure" include "experience a failure", "face a failure", or "meet with failure". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it better to say "encounter a failure" or "experience a failure"?

Both "encounter a failure" and "experience a failure" are grammatically correct and have similar meanings. "Encounter" might suggest a slightly more unexpected event, while "experience" implies a more direct undergoing of the failure. Use the term that best fits the nuance you want to convey.