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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com
failed across
Grammar usage guide and real-world examplesUSAGE SUMMARY
The phrase "failed across" is not standard in written English and may cause confusion.
It could be used in contexts discussing failure that spans multiple areas or domains, but it is not commonly recognized. Example: "The project failed across various departments, leading to a significant loss of resources."
News & Media
Science
Formal & Business
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Human-verified examples from authoritative sources
Exact Expressions
18 human-written examples
"Austerity has failed across Europe".
News & Media
"That was tried and it failed across Europe".
News & Media
Anywhere along the river, people were safer if the levee failed across the way.
News & Media
Crops failed across much of the tropics and global food prices rose.
News & Media
Thatcher imposed a neoliberal model now seen to have failed across the world.
News & Media
At the sharp end of this crisis are unaccompanied migrant children, who are being failed across the board.
News & Media
Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources
Similar Expressions
40 human-written examples
The same warming is already causing crops to fail across the tropics and will make it increasingly difficult for us to feed our ballooning human population.
News & Media
If the PSOE cannot stem the tide there, it will fail across Spain when other regions and localities vote in May.
News & Media
More information may not be the key for climate action or to increase sustainability scores, and doomsday message tend to fail across the board, Weber said.
News & Media
"While it is indeed the case that every parent at some time or other may fail in this regard, the present case is totally outside the norm in that, most sadly, this mother as a parent largely lacks the ability to be in tune with her children's needs from day to day or minute to minute to the extent that she wholly fails, across the board, to establish a safe structure to regulate their behaviour".
News & Media
Slope sediments on passive and active margins deform and fail across a broad range of scales ranging from loading and sediment remobilization near the sediment water interface to submarine landslides and mass movements that incorporate significant volumes of slope deposits.
Science
Expert writing Tips
Best practice
When using "failed across", ensure the context clearly indicates that the failure spans multiple distinct areas or domains. Using more common alternatives like "failed in multiple areas" may improve clarity.
Common error
While "failed across" isn't grammatically incorrect, its relative infrequency in standard English makes it less suitable for formal writing. Opt for more conventional phrases to ensure clarity and professionalism.
Source & Trust
88%
Authority and reliability
3.8/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested
Linguistic Context
The phrase "failed across" functions as a verb phrase, indicating that something experienced failure in multiple areas or aspects. This is supported by Ludwig examples where the phrase describes the extent or scope of a failure.
Frequent in
News & Media
52%
Science
29%
Formal & Business
19%
Less common in
Encyclopedias
0%
Wiki
0%
Reference
0%
Ludwig's WRAP-UP
The phrase "failed across" is used to describe a failure that spans multiple areas or aspects. While Ludwig AI identifies its usage in reputable news and scientific sources, it also suggests that it is not considered standard English, making it potentially less appropriate for formal contexts. Common alternatives like "failed in multiple areas" or "failed throughout" might provide greater clarity. Ultimately, while grammatically sound, using the expression "failed across" requires careful consideration of the audience and the intended level of formality to ensure effective communication.
More alternative expressions(6)
Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:
failed throughout
Replaces "across" with "throughout" to emphasize the pervasiveness of the failure.
failed in multiple areas
Provides a more explicit and common way to describe failure in several domains.
failed on various fronts
Uses a more figurative expression to indicate failure in different aspects.
experienced widespread failure
Shifts the focus to the extent of the failure being widespread.
fell short in numerous aspects
Emphasizes the shortfall or deficiency in multiple areas.
completely broke down
Describes a situation where something stops working completely.
proved to be ineffective overall
Describes the state of something not being efficient.
failed to deliver on all fronts
Emphasizes the lack of achievement in various areas.
resulted in total collapse
Explains the consequence of the problem in a complete downfall.
was a complete disaster
Uses disaster to denote a very bad situation.
FAQs
How can I use "failed across" in a sentence?
You can use "failed across" to indicate that something has not succeeded in multiple areas or aspects. For example, "The initiative failed across various departments, leading to its cancellation."
What are some alternatives to "failed across"?
Some alternatives include "failed in multiple areas", "failed throughout", or "fell short in numerous aspects".
Is "failed across" grammatically correct?
While not the most common phrasing, "failed across" is grammatically sound. However, its usage might be perceived as less formal or standard compared to alternatives.
In what contexts is it appropriate to use "failed across"?
It is appropriate when you want to emphasize that a failure was not isolated but affected multiple areas or systems. Consider using it in situations where alternatives like "failed in one area" would not accurately represent the scope of the failure.
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Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Source & Trust
88%
Authority and reliability
3.8/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested