fail severely

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "fail severely" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where something does not succeed to a significant degree or with serious consequences. Example: "The project was poorly planned and ultimately failed severely, resulting in a loss of resources and time."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The difference in lighting is a more difficult problem and if no preprocessing is done AD and SD fail severely.

EURASIP Journal on Image and Video Processing

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

State's track record otherwise with police training also fails severely.

Huffington Post

Capello's men have contrived to fail more severely than the line‑up beaten 4-2 by Uruguay in 1954.

The Guardian - Sport

To the Sports Editor: Even if it turns out that Joe Paterno complied with Pennsylvania's child abuse reporting laws, his moral conscience and compass failed him severely.

The New York Times - Sports

It fails more severely in apps — where 90percentt of the action is — for the same reason, and because the multi-stack data is often poorly integrated.

TechCrunch

In both phases, TMZ-FG failed to severely damage normal brain tissue.

Cancer Science

Yamaha said it was recalling about 2,300 of its 2009 11 motorcycles because the oil pump may fail, which could severely damage the engine.

The New York Times

Richard Portes, an economist at the London Business School, wrote in the Financial Times, "The U.S. authorities' decision to let Lehman Brothers fail will be severely criticised by financial historians — the next generation of Bernankes".

The New Yorker

Previously known PIR schemes severely fail to meet this goal.

Journal of Computer and System Sciences

Compared with Fig. 10, the narrow pillar in Fig. 12 shows less stability and the pillars fail much more severely in square openings.

International Journal of Coal Science & Technology

In our study, examination of conjunctivae, nailbeds, or palms failed to identify several severely anaemic patients; conversely several patients with normal haemoglobin were adjudged anaemic by the pallor assessment.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the intensity you wish to convey; "fail severely" carries a strong connotation of negative impact, so ensure it aligns with the context. If the failure has lesser impact, consider using milder terms such as "fall short" or "not succeed".

Common error

Avoid using "fail severely" in casual or informal conversations where a less dramatic expression would be more appropriate. Overuse can make your language sound overly formal or melodramatic in everyday contexts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fail severely" functions as a verb phrase where "fail" is the main verb and "severely" is an adverb modifying the verb. It indicates a failure that is significant or serious in its consequences. Ludwig AI confirms this usage is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "fail severely" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase that emphasizes a significant failure and its serious negative consequences. According to Ludwig, the phrase is applicable across a range of contexts, including science, news, and business. While versatile, it's important to consider the tone and intensity of "fail severely" to ensure it aligns with the context. Alternatives like "fail miserably" or "collapse spectacularly" may be more suitable depending on the intended impact. Overall, "fail severely" is a valuable tool for conveying the gravity of a failure.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fail drastically

Replaces "severely" with "drastically", emphasizing the magnitude of the failure.

fail miserably

Uses "miserably" to highlight the unfortunate and pitiable nature of the failure.

collapse spectacularly

Emphasizes the dramatic and highly visible nature of the failure.

fall flat

Suggests a lack of impact or success, often used for performances or plans.

come to naught

Indicates that efforts or plans produced no positive result or value.

prove inadequate

Highlights the insufficiency of something to meet the required standards or needs.

be a resounding failure

Uses "resounding" to describe a complete and unmistakable lack of success.

be doomed to failure

Suggests that the failure was inevitable or predetermined.

end in disaster

Emphasizes the catastrophic consequences of the failure.

go down in flames

A more figurative expression implying a complete and destructive failure.

FAQs

How can I use "fail severely" in a sentence?

You can use "fail severely" to describe situations where something not only fails, but also has significant negative consequences. For example, "The project was poorly managed and "failed severely", leading to substantial financial losses."

What can I say instead of "fail severely"?

You can use alternatives like "fail miserably", "collapse spectacularly", or "fall flat" depending on the context.

Is "fail severely" a formal or informal expression?

"Fail severely" is suitable for both formal and neutral contexts, though it leans towards formal when emphasizing the gravity of the failure. In very informal settings, less dramatic alternatives may be more appropriate.

What's the difference between "fail severely" and "fall short"?

"Fail severely" implies a significant negative outcome resulting from the failure, while "fall short" simply means not meeting a certain standard or goal, without necessarily implying severe consequences.