fail far

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "fail far" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to express a significant failure, but without context, it is ambiguous and unclear. Example: "If we don't change our strategy, we could fail far beyond our expectations."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

Experimental treatments fail far more often than they succeed.

The Economist

Ventura still routinely looks lost on basic managerial decisions, and puts his relievers in a position to fail far more often than an MLB manager should.

The Guardian - Sport

We all fail far more than we succeed, humiliating ourselves in front of tens of thousands of fans, trying to attain the unattainable: batting a thousand, pitching without ever losing, secretly seeking the immortality of the record books.

The New Yorker

"It's been too long: they're the No 1 side, but they're only rugby players," he said, pointing out that the French, the South Africans and the Australians understand what it takes to prevail over the silver-ferned maestros, even if they fail far more often than they succeed.

Independent

Or maybe they tended to fail far earlier than existing keyboards.

TechCrunch

In the context of a half-billion-dollar company, $20 million bets actually fail far more than a startup may appreciate.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

He was not a manager who was sacked because he failed – far from it.

The Guardian - Sport

But when it comes to assisted reproductive technologies, science fails far more often than is generally believed.

The New York Times

To reformers, it is clear that auditors have failed far too often to live up to their mandate of protecting investors by being independent reviewers of corporate accounts.

The New York Times

The team originally used off the shelf components during the musical's first run and found they failed far too often.

TechCrunch

The failed far-right contender in Austria's presidential election has urged his supporters to accept the result despite some in his party alleging fraud.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for clarity, consider replacing "fail far" with stronger, more precise language like "fail significantly" or "fail greatly" to ensure your message is easily understood.

Common error

Avoid using "fail far" in formal writing. Its non-standard nature can make your writing seem less credible. Choose a more conventional expression to convey the magnitude of the failure.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fail far" functions as a verb phrase where "fail" is the main verb and "far" modifies it, attempting to intensify the degree of failure. However, Ludwig AI indicates this construction is not standard and can be ambiguous.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "fail far" appears in some contexts, particularly within news and media, it's not considered grammatically standard and its meaning can be ambiguous. Ludwig AI highlights this by indicating that the phrase is not a correct written english. For clarity and precision, it's recommended to use alternatives like "fail significantly" or "fail greatly". When aiming for more formal communication, consider options such as "suffer a major setback" or "fall short by a wide margin". Despite its limited usage, the intent behind "fail far" is generally to emphasize the magnitude of a failure. The occasional appearance of "fail far" suggests that a more established alternative should be chosen to avoid misunderstanding.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fail significantly

Emphasizes the extent of the failure, replacing "far" with a more standard adverb.

fail greatly

Similar to "fail significantly", highlighting the magnitude of the failure.

suffer a major setback

Shifts the focus to the negative consequences of the failure.

experience a considerable failure

Replaces the informal "far" with the more formal "considerable".

fall short by a wide margin

Highlights the degree to which the desired outcome was missed.

miss the mark substantially

Indicates a significant deviation from the intended target or goal.

prove inadequate in a big way

Uses a more conversational tone to convey a significant lack of suitability.

not succeed by a long shot

Emphasizes the unlikelihood of success in retrospect.

be far from successful

Expresses a lack of success, focusing on the distance from the desired outcome.

be a resounding failure

Highlights the completeness and decisiveness of the failure.

FAQs

What does "fail far" mean?

The phrase "fail far" is not standard English and its meaning can be ambiguous. It generally implies a significant or substantial failure, but more precise language is recommended for clarity.

Is it grammatically correct to say "fail far"?

While some sources use the phrase "fail far", it's not considered grammatically standard. Alternatives like "fail significantly" or "fail greatly" are preferred.

What can I say instead of "fail far"?

You can use alternatives such as "suffer a major setback", "fall short by a wide margin", or "miss the mark substantially" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "fail far" or "fail significantly"?

"Fail significantly" is more grammatically correct and widely accepted. "Fail far" is less common and might not be understood by all audiences. Consider using "fail significantly" to ensure clarity.