fail to score

USAGE SUMMARY

"fail to score" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it in contexts where someone or something does not achieve a goal or point, particularly in sports or competitive situations. Example: The team failed to score in the final minutes of the game. Alternative expressions include "unable to score" and "did not score."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sports Commentary

Academic Assessment

Politics

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

They fail to score.

The Guardian - Sport

If they fail to score, game over.

The New York Times

Can they really fail to score 134?

The Guardian - Sport

Play resumes and once again the Soviets fail to score.

The Guardian - Sport

When play restarts the Soviets fail to score and the US players start to celebrate.

The Guardian - Sport

His Lobos teams are 58-0 when opponents fail to score 60 points.

The New York Times - Sports

For all these years, why did the mainstream centre-left fail to score when facing an open goal?

The Guardian - Books

Manuel has watched his team fail to score more than four runs in any of its previous 11 games.

The New York Times - Sports

In 2004 he became the first Liverpool No 9 shirt to fail to score a single goal in a season.

Independent

Not only did the Grizzlies fail to score until 8 minutes 41 seconds of the first quarter, they didn't even hit the rim on their first six possessions.

The New York Times - Sports

Leeds did manage to avoid the embarrassment of becoming the first team in 21 years to fail to score in the Cup final.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In sports reporting, this phrase is particularly effective for highlighting a 'scoring drought' or an unexpected result for a favorite team.

Common error

Do not use "fail to score" in situations where no scoring attempt was expected or appropriate. The verb 'fail' implies a desired goal or an standard expectation that was not met.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fail to score" operates as a complex verb phrase where the main verb 'fail' is followed by a 'to-infinitive' ('to score'). In the context of the examples provided by Ludwig, it functions as the predicate describing an unsuccessful action. Ludwig AI confirms this as a standard and correct English construction.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

92%

Wiki

4%

Science

4%

Less common in

Academia

1%

Formal & Business

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "fail to score" is an essential part of the English lexicon, particularly within the domains of sports and competitive reporting. Ludwig AI analysis shows that it is consistently used by top-tier publications to describe the inability of a team or individual to achieve a point or goal. Whether used literally in a football match or figuratively in a political debate, the phrase remains a grammatically correct and highly effective way to emphasize a lack of success. Writers should feel confident using it in any context where an expected outcome of success was not reached, especially when aiming for a professional and objective tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unable to score

Emphasizes the lack of capability or the presence of an obstacle preventing the score.

did not score

A more direct and neutral observation of the outcome.

remained goalless

Frequently used in soccer to describe a team or a match without goals.

went scoreless

Often used to describe a team's status over a specific duration of time.

failed to convert

Commonly used when an opportunity was provided but not capitalized upon.

were shut out

Indicates that the opposing defense completely prevented them from scoring.

blanked

A concise, often Americanized sports term for failing to record any points.

missed the target

Specific to sports where a physical target like a goal or basket is involved.

drew a blank

An idiomatic expression for coming up empty-handed in a competitive effort.

fire a blank

A metaphorical way of saying a player or team was unsuccessful in their attempts.

FAQs

How do I use "fail to score" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe a specific event, such as: 'Despite having several chances, the team managed to "fail to score" in the second half.' It usually follows a subject and is followed by the condition of the failure.

What is the difference between "fail to score" and "miss a chance"?

While "fail to score" describes the final outcome of not getting points, "miss a chance" refers to a specific moment or opportunity during a game that was wasted.

Is it correct to say "fail in scoring"?

While grammatically possible, "fail in scoring" is much less common and sounds less natural in sports contexts than the standard infinitive form "fail to score".

What can I say instead of "fail to score"?

Depending on the context, you might use "unable to score", "went scoreless" or "did not score".