fail to account

USAGE SUMMARY

"fail to account" is an appropriate phrase to use in written English.
It means to neglect to explain or justify an action or statement. For example, "The witness failed to account for the discrepancy in her statement."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

And they fail to account properly for opportunity costs.

The Economist

Most fail to account for context-specific circumstances.

Harvard Business Review

It would, he said, fail to account for many of our concepts.

The Guardian

The professors said investors generally fail to account for inflation's effect on earnings.

The New York Times

The research does fail to account for differences in the industries in which CEOs worked.

The Economist

Yet development organizations and government agencies traditionally fail to account adequately for it.

Harvard Business Review

And it shows up when they fail to account for the future importance of early events.

Harvard Business Review

Thus, currently used continuum damage models fail to account the scatter observed in fatigue data.

International Journal of Pavement Research and Technology

Traditional architectures fail to account for the intermittent connectivity and limited bandwidth of portable devices.

Journal of Network and Computer Applications

Frequently, prescribers fail to account for changing kidney function when prescribing medications.

American Journal of Kidney Diseases

Most of the time, conventional methods fail to account for subsurface heterogeneity.

Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "fail to account", ensure that the context clearly indicates what is being overlooked or not properly considered. This helps maintain clarity and prevents ambiguity in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "fail to account" without specifying what factors are not being accounted for. This can lead to confusion and weaken your argument. Always provide clear details about the missing elements.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fail to account" functions as a verb phrase indicating a lack of consideration or omission of certain factors. Ludwig AI confirms its appropriate use in written English to express neglect in explaining or justifying an action or statement.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

39%

News & Media

42%

Academia

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "fail to account" is a frequently used verb phrase indicating a lack of consideration or omission. As Ludwig AI indicates, it is a grammatically sound phrase, used across various contexts from scientific research to news reporting. When using "fail to account", ensure that the context clearly specifies what is being overlooked to maintain clarity and impact. Common errors include vague references, which can weaken the argument. Overall, this phrase is a valuable tool for critiquing analyses and arguments.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

not take into consideration

A more formal way of expressing a lack of consideration.

not factor in

Indicates a failure to include something in a calculation or assessment.

neglect to consider

Emphasizes the act of overlooking something important.

omit from consideration

Highlights the exclusion of something from a deliberation.

not give due weight

Implies that something was not given the appropriate level of importance.

overlook

A more concise way of saying something was missed.

disregard

Suggests a deliberate ignoring of something.

leave out of the equation

Implies that something was not included in a calculation or plan.

ignore

A simple, direct synonym indicating a lack of attention.

miss

A short and informal way of saying that something was not noticed or considered.

FAQs

How can I use "fail to account" in a sentence?

You can use "fail to account" to indicate that something has been overlooked or not properly considered. For example, "The analysis failed to account for the impact of inflation".

What's a simpler way to say "fail to account"?

You could use words like "overlook", "disregard", or "ignore" as simpler alternatives depending on the context.

What is the difference between "fail to account" and "not consider"?

"Fail to account" implies a more significant oversight, suggesting that something crucial was entirely missed. "Not consider", on the other hand, might indicate that something was acknowledged but not given enough importance or attention.

Is it better to use "failed to account" or "fails to account"?

The choice between "failed to account" and "fails to account" depends on the tense of your sentence. Use "failed to account" for past events and "fails to account" for present or general situations.